Shippers seek Houthi assurances before crossing Bab al-Mandab

Vessel operators are reportedly emailing a Houthi-linked coordination centre for transit assurances as threats to Red Sea shipping increase uncertainty over maritime security and freedom of navigation.

Commercial shipping companies seeking to navigate the Bab al-Mandab Strait have reportedly begun contacting a Houthi-established administrative body by email to obtain assurances before transiting the strategic waterway. The practice highlights the growing operational uncertainty facing shipowners and crews as Yemen’s Houthi movement maintains pressure on maritime traffic in the Red Sea region.

A report by The Wall Street Journal, cited by The Jerusalem Post on 6 November, said ship operators had been sending messages to the Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center (HOCC), an administrative entity established by the Houthis in early 2024. The centre handles applications and communicates information about the movement’s maritime instructions.

According to emails reviewed by the Wall Street Journal, some vessels have declared that neither their ships nor their crews have connections with Israel, the United States or the United Kingdom. Operators have also shared estimated transit schedules and assured the Houthis that their vessels would comply with the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea.

The reported communications reflect a practical dilemma for commercial operators: navigating a major international shipping route while facing threats from an armed group that has asserted authority over which vessels it considers eligible for safe passage.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the Houthis typically respond to applications within 24 hours. In one documented case, the Chinese containership Zhong Cheng Chang Ling received a one-week transit authorisation.

The vessel was instructed to keep its Automatic Identification System (AIS) switched on throughout the passage. AIS broadcasts information including a ship’s identity, position, speed and destination. The crew was also told to maintain communication on VHF Channel 16, an internationally designated maritime distress and calling frequency.

The email reportedly included a hotline number and an invitation to subscribe to the HOCC alert service. These arrangements suggest that the Houthi-linked body is seeking to establish a communication process through which vessels can receive instructions and information before entering the strait.

However, an email-based assurance from an armed group should not be confused with an internationally recognised maritime clearance or a guarantee of safety. The reported authorisations do not establish that the Houthis can legally regulate international shipping or that vessels following their instructions are protected from attack.

The Wall Street Journal report, as cited by The Jerusalem Post, said international maritime authorities advise vessels not to engage with or register through the HOCC. Many operators reportedly choose not to contact the organisation.

Nevertheless, the captain of the Zhong Cheng Chang Ling told the newspaper that the vessel’s management had instructed him to contact the Houthis as an additional precaution. The account illustrates the operational pressures faced by crews and shipping companies attempting to reduce exposure to potential attacks.

The distinction between official maritime guidance and commercial risk-management decisions is important. Shipowners may consider direct communication a precaution, but doing so could also expose vessels to additional demands for information and create uncertainty about the status of such exchanges.

The supplied report does not establish whether international maritime authorities have changed their guidance or whether any vessel has been attacked after receiving an HOCC response.

The Bab al-Mandab Strait connects the Red Sea with the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indian Ocean. It is a critical passage for shipping between Europe and Asia, particularly for vessels travelling through the Suez Canal route.

Disruption in the area can force shipping companies to reconsider routes, transit schedules, insurance arrangements and operating costs. Longer alternative journeys around the Cape of Good Hope can increase fuel consumption, delivery times and freight expenses.

The reported use of the HOCC channel therefore points to a broader challenge for international trade: commercial vessels are navigating an environment in which security decisions may increasingly be influenced by threats and instructions from non-state armed actors.

The Houthi movement’s reported communication system adds another layer to the security challenges facing shipping in the Red Sea. Even when vessels are not directly attacked, uncertainty over passage conditions can affect commercial planning and the confidence of shipowners, insurers and crews.

For international maritime authorities, the central issue remains the protection of freedom of navigation and the safety of seafarers. Commercial operators, meanwhile, must weigh the potential benefits and risks of communicating with an armed group that has no internationally recognised authority to issue binding transit permissions.

The reported email exchanges do not demonstrate that the strait is formally closed or that all vessels must seek Houthi approval. They do, however, illustrate how security threats can influence commercial behaviour and create informal systems of communication around one of the world’s strategically important maritime corridors.

Sources

• The Jerusalem Post — Danya Saperstein, Shippers wishing to cross Bab al-Mandab email Houthis for permits, sign up for alerts – report, 6 November 2026. (The article-specific URL should be checked against the publisher’s page; the supplied text did not include it.)
• The Wall Street Journal — Original report cited by The Jerusalem Post. The exact article title and direct URL were not included in the supplied material and have not been independently verified.
• International maritime authorities — The guidance against engaging with or registering through the HOCC is reported by the Wall Street Journal as cited by The Jerusalem Post. The supplied material does not identify the issuing authority or provide a direct advisory link.