Riyadh (Debriefer) The Carpe Diem ship has been allowed access to the Yemeni western port of Hodeida, the Saudi-led coalition said Saturday, in accordance with measures developed by Yemen's official government.
The oil tanker was given permission with some 21,000 tons of petrol onboard, the Arab coalition added in a statement.
While the coalition says the Iranian-backed Houthi group deliberately creates a fuel crisis in areas under its control in order to thrive black market run by its leaders, the latter accuses the coalition of hindering the arrival of oil tankers at Hodeida port.
Last year, Hodeida port received 236 commercial and relief vessels after being officially cleared, the coalition statement read.
According to Houthi earlier statement, the Sea Adore ship was allowed access to Hodeida port following UNVIM inspection and a set of measures, and the 24 next hours are expected to see the arrival of the tanker.
All the Yemeni Houthi-held provinces suffer a fuel shortage, "the severest since the blockade was tightened," spokesman for the Houthi-run Yemeni Petroleum Company (YPC) told reporters last Wednesday.
This is because no oil supplies have arrived from government-held areas, Eisam al-Mutawakil added, although these imports make up only 25 percent of needs in Houthi-held areas.
Last April, the Sana'a-based YPC allowed oil suppliers to deliver fuel from government-held areas for sale at gas stations in Sana'a City, a move aimed at curbing the ongoing shortage in oil derivatives.
