An official source at the Gulf of Aden Ports Corporation made a press statement about dilapidated ships, in response to the published news regarding a meeting (the local authority in Aden and the Environmental Protection Authority warn of the dangers of dilapidated ships to navigation and the marine environment), headed by the Deputy Governor of Aden and Secretary-General of the Local Council. In the presence of representatives of some governmental bodies, the meeting discussed the overall problems related to the imminent risks causing pollution of the marine environment in the capital, Aden, resulting from the waste of oil derivatives from dilapidated ships located in the sanctuary and hook-throwing area of ​​the Aden International Port, and placing the blame for negligence on the Gulf of Aden Ports Corporation and others.

The following statement was stated:

- We regret that the Aden Ports Corporation did not receive the invitation to participate in this meeting to clarify all the procedures and efforts made by the Aden Port Administration in this regard.

- The Aden Ports Corporation has been expressing its concern about these ships since 2015 AD, as they were operating before that under official licenses to transport petroleum derivatives between all ports of the Yemeni governorates, despite the fact that they are substandard ships.

- The poor condition of these ships worsened after the war, which led to their dilapidation due to the negligence of the owners of these ships, despite the port administration sending several official letters to their owners and the concerned official authorities regarding their dilapidated condition and their danger to the port.

- The port administration, based on the directives of His Excellency the Minister of Transport, resorted to the judiciary to get rid of these ships due to their poor condition and the sinking of some of them because their owners did not respond to all letters.

- The port administration removed (8) ships from the navigation channel by a distance of approximately one thousand metres, and also removed oil waste to mitigate the environmental disaster that these ships would have caused, even though this work was not within its jurisdiction, and it bore financial burdens for the public good and to alleviate The port of Aden was exposed to damage that could be severe.

- We stress the need to get rid of the ships, which number about 13 ships owned by different parties, as quickly as possible, and cut up some of them in safe places near the coast after unloading the remaining oil derivatives and cut up the sunken ships in their places. This is according to what experts say because Taking it out of its place and towing it will cause a serious environmental disaster.

- We confirm that all the measures implemented by the port in this regard were in coordination with the General Authority for Environmental Protection and the branch of the General Authority for Maritime Affairs in Aden. We are surprised that the head of the General Authority for Environmental Protection ignored the efforts of the leadership of the Port of Aden and the Ministry of Transport, represented by the Minister of Transport, and the Governor of Aden, represented by the Minister. The State Governor of Aden, the General Authority for Maritime Affairs, and the Joint Committee for Unloading Ships of Derivatives.

- In conclusion, this file is in the hands of the judicial authority, the General Authority for Maritime Affairs, the General Authority for Environmental Protection, and the Coast Guard Authority. Such issues are not within the jurisdiction of the port, but rather by other competent authorities whose duties this falls and each party must bear its responsibility.