Yemeni Coast Guard seizes oil tanker Nereida in Gulf of Aden

The Yemeni Coast Guard has seized the oil tanker Nereida (IMO 9163269), which flies the flag of Comoros, in the Gulf of Aden. The vessel was intercepted after departing the Houthi-controlled port of Ras Issa, where it had discharged an unauthorized cargo without prior approval from the Yemeni government or coordination with the United Nations Verification and Inspection Mechanism (UNVIM).

According to official statements, the Nereida is listed among vessels subject to U.S. sanctions. During its journey, the ship reportedly disabled its Automatic Identification System (AIS) tracking. When intercepted by a Coast Guard patrol, the vessel initially failed to respond to stop orders, and armed guards on board reportedly fired shots at the patrol boat before eventually complying.

The tanker has been escorted to the port of Aden. Authorities have launched an investigation into the ship’s route, cargo, documentation, the disabling of its tracking system, and the incident involving gunfire against the patrol boat.