Small Livestock Carrier Briefly Detained Near Yemeni Coast
A small livestock carrier encountered a brief detainment as it sailed near the Yemeni coast on July 24. While the exact circumstances remain unclear, security services are speculating that the vessel may have been intercepted by locals due to its position rather than being attacked by the Houthis.
The vessel in question, the Merinos Livestock (2,200 dwt), had departed Bossaso, Somalia, with its stated destination as Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, before abruptly turning off its AIS transmissions. The lack of an AIS signal likely contributed to the intercept, with some reports suggesting that the Yemeni Coast Guard may have been involved. Notably, the Houthis have not claimed responsibility for the incident, although they have been known to delay acknowledgment of their activities.
According to reports, the vessel was sailing east of the Hanish Islands, approximately 30 nautical miles northwest of Mocha, Yemen, when it was approached by a single wooden boat. Small arms fire was reportedly exchanged, and the livestock carrier was directed to head towards the Yemeni port. Tracking data indicates that the vessel complied and made a U-turn towards Mocha, where it was ultimately detained by the Yemeni Coast Guard.
Reuters has stated that the vessel was held on “suspicion,” though it was later released.
Tracking on the Merinos Livestock (posted on X)
The Merinos Livestock is a converted cargo ship that was originally built in 1976 and now flies the flag of Comoros. It is managed by a Greek company and, with a top speed of just 10 knots, is considered a relatively easy target. The vessel measures 88 meters (289 feet) in length.
Details about the ship are somewhat murky, as the Equasis database only shows a port state inspection dating back to 2023, shortly after it was renamed Merinos Livestock. Between 2016 and 2023, the vessel underwent a total of 14 port state inspections, with each inspection revealing deficiencies and leading to detentions in several instances.