On Monday 7-29-1444 AH, corresponding to 2-20-2023 AD, the Minister of Transport, Mr. Abd al-Wahhab Yahya al-Durrah, and the Minister of Communications, Mr. Misfer al-Numeir, and the Governor of Hodeida, Mr. Mohammed Qahim, were briefed on the damage to Hodeida International Airport as a result of the bombing of the aggression, and the airport out of service eight years ago. Al-Durrah, Al-Numeir and Qahim, along with the first deputy governor of the governorate, Mr. Ahmed Al-Bishri, the head Yemen the Red Sea Ports Corporation, Captain Muhammad Abu Bakr Ishaq, and the head of the General Authority for Transportation Affairs, Walid Al-Wadaei, inspected the airport’s infrastructure, which was completely destroyed. Mr. Ahmed Tarish to an explanation about the overall damages in the terminals, the airport tower and the flight runway. They were briefed on the size of the damage and the ugliness of the systematic targeting of the airport terminals, facilities and service facilities, and the navigational activity operating system, and they listened to an explanation from the engineers of the General Aviation Authority about the needs for re-maintenance and operation of the airport and the implementation plan. During the visit, they were also briefed on the plans and technical designs for the rehabilitation plan for Hodeida International Airport, which were reviewed by the relevant engineering and technical team, and the requirements and needs to start preparing the implementation of works at the airport. The Minister of Transport stated that the visit comes as a translation of the directives of the Revolutionary Leadership and the Supreme Political Council to review and evaluate the needs of re-maintaining Hodeida International Airport, and the plan that was prepared by the engineers of the General Authority of Civil Aviation to rehabilitate and operate the airport. He pointed out that work will begin on the maintenance and rehabilitation project to restore the operation of the airport and restore its activity and services, pointing out that the destruction and hatred of this important vital facility is a crime against humanity. Minister Al-Durra stressed that restoring the airport's activity represents a challenge due to the exorbitant costs it requires in light of the conditions of the current stage. However, this has become an urgent necessity because it serves the people of Al-Hodeida Governorate and many neighboring governorates with a large population density, in addition to the fact that Hodeida International Airport is the first cargo airport. in the republic. While the Minister of Communications indicated that the visit and inspection of Hodeida airport aims to plan what will be restored with regard to the telecommunications sector in terms of modern infrastructure that relies on the optical fiber network and 4G, stressing work alongside the Ministry of Transport and the local authority in Hodeida to rehabilitate the airport. The governor of Hodeida confirmed that the airport's infrastructure maintenance work will begin soon, indicating that the local authority in the province is working with all efforts to implement projects to restore infrastructure for the service sectors affected by the aggression. They were accompanied by the Vice chairman of Yemen Red Sea Ports Corporation, Mr. Zaid Al-Washli, Technical Affairs at Hodeida Airport, Muhyiddin Al-Dimashqi, Directors of Works Mr. Mohammad Muthanna, the Communications Corporation Branch Mr. Ali Makki and his deputy Mr. Mohammad Al-Mutawakil, Deputy Director of the Transport Authority Branch Mr. Noman Al-Darwani, and Director of the Investment Department in the Governorate Diwan Mr. Zaid Al-Rumaima.

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The Minister of Transport, Mr. Abd al-Wahhab Yahya al-Durra, confirmed the readiness of the port of Hodeida to receive all types of container ships, including the Salif port, as well as the Ras Issa port, which completed the unloading of the oil derivatives ship today.

During the meeting, which was on Saturday 7-27-1444 AH, corresponding to 2-18-2023 AD, Minister Al-Durrah indicated that it was held at Yemen Red Sea Ports Corporation in Hodeida, and included the governor, Mohammad Ayash Qahim, the first deputy governor of the governorate, Ahmed Al-Bishri, and the Chairmn of the Corporation, Mohammad Ishaq, to restore activity and the navigational movement of the port.

He praised the level of efforts made by Yemen Red Sea Ports Corporation to receive ships, facilitate procedures, and provide exemptions for berth rental fees for 21- days. And to Hodeida by opening the 90-road.

He stressed that the ministry is seeking to provide projects in the port of Hodeida in cooperation with the Economic Committee and the relevant authorities to ensure the development of the performance of navigation in the port, which was severely damaged as a result of the bombing of its equipment and mechanisms.

The Minister of Transport also mentioned that the efforts will include, during the coming period, the rehabilitation of Hodeida Airport in order to enable it to operate and restore its activity to normal, given the aggression and destruction it was subjected to by the coalition and its mercenaries, pointing to the importance of the airport for navigational activity in Hodeida Governorate.

He appreciated the positive role played by the revolutionary and political leadership in the victory of the rights of the Yemeni people over the years of aggression and siege, stressing that opening ports and airports and lifting the siege is a legitimate demand to alleviate the suffering of Yemenis. 

Minister Al-Durra indicated that the port of Hodeida represents the main port for more than 70 percent of the Yemenis who were affected by the unjust blockade, and that restoring its activity and opening it to all commercial ships is an urgent necessity and an important step after eight years of unjust restrictions and systematic blockade.

While the Governor of Hodeida stressed that more efforts were made in cooperation with the Ministry of Transport in enhancing readiness to receive container ships, arranging the preparation of work in all Red Sea ports, and addressing challenges and difficulties in the public interest to lift the blockade on navigational activity and the movement of ships entering the port.

For his part, the human agent discussed the mechanisms and procedures related to the services of the port of Hodeida and the requirements for improving services and implementing the necessary treatments to improve the entrances to a number of Red Sea ports and to prepare services as intended.

The meeting was attended by the Vice chairman of Yemen Red Sea Ports Corporation, Mr. Zaid Al-Washli, and the Director of the Office of the chairman, Mr. Nabil Omar Al-Mazjaji.

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