News - Yemen: The port city of Aden, under the control of the Saudi-UAE coalition and the so-called Southern Transitional Council (STC), is witnessing a sharp surge in maritime shipping costs, with transport companies raising their fees by 35–45 percent due to ongoing conflicts among the occupation’s competing factions managing the port.

Maritime sources confirmed that chaos in port administration and overlapping jurisdictions between security and administrative bodies have led to delays in ship unloading operations exceeding two weeks, causing significant losses for shipping firms.

One shipping source noted that vessels are forced to remain anchored for extended periods awaiting permits and clearance, amid poor coordination among coalition-controlled agencies, further worsening the state of disorder and corruption within the port.

Shipping companies reported that prolonged waiting times are driving up operating and insurance costs, forcing them to raise shipping rates to offset mounting losses. Freight charges from Chinese ports to Aden have increased sharply compared to last month.

The escalation, they warned, will directly impact the prices of imported goods, particularly food and consumer products, potentially triggering a new wave of inflation that worsens living conditions in the southern and eastern areas under occupation.

Observers cautioned that the continuing mismanagement of Aden Port threatens its status as a once-strategic maritime hub that could have served as an economic lifeline for Yemen and the wider region. Meanwhile, global shipping lines are reportedly seeking alternative, more stable routes.

Economic experts stressed that resolving the crisis requires restructuring the port’s administration and restoring unified sovereign and economic decision-making, free from the control of the coalition and its local proxies, in order to regain international confidence and capitalize on Aden’s vital geographic position.

This steep rise in shipping costs once again exposes the depth of administrative and economic collapse in areas under coalition control. Experts warn that continued power struggles and corruption not only cripple governance but also pose a severe threat to Yemen’s economic and social stability, leaving millions in the occupied southern and eastern governorates to bear the brunt of the crisis.

Once a thriving commercial gateway, Aden Port has been plagued by disorder and corruption since falling under coalition control in 2015. The competing agendas of Saudi and Emirati-backed factions have paralyzed operations and diverted revenues, transforming what was once Yemen’s most active port into a symbol of economic mismanagement and foreign exploitation.

As Yemen’s national ports in Hodeidah and Mocha operate under unified national command and maintain stable trade channels, Aden’s decline underscores the destructive impact of occupation and political fragmentation on Yemen’s southern economy.