Editing Transport in Yemen

{{Short description|none}} <!-- "none" is a legitimate description when the title is already adequate; see [[WP:SDNONE]] -->
[[File:Yemen Transportation.jpg|thumb|Yemen transportation map]]
As a direct consequence of the country's [[poverty]], [[Yemen]] compares unfavorably with its Middle Eastern neighbors in terms of [[transportation infrastructure]] and [[communications network]]. The [[roads]] are generally poor, although several projects are planned to upgrade the system. There is no [[Rail transport|rail]] network, efforts to upgrade [[airport]] facilities have languished, and [[telephone]] and [[Internet]] usage and capabilities are limited. The [[Aden|Port of Aden]] has shown a promising recovery from a 2002 attack; container throughput increased significantly in 2004 and 2005. However, the expected imposition of higher insurance premiums for shippers in 2006 may result in reduced future throughput. The announcement in summer 2005 that the port's main facility, Aden Container Terminal, would for the next 30 or more years be run by [[Dubai Ports International]] brings with it the prospect of future expansion.<ref name=cp>[http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/profiles/Yemen.pdf Yemen country profile]. [[Library of Congress]] [[Federal Research Division]] (December 2006). ''This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the [[public domain]].''</ref>

==Roads==
[[File:Yemen. Aden. Maala. Aug 2013. (9708889690).jpg|thumb|Minivan on road in Aden]]
[[File:Route bus in and around Sana'a.JPG|thumb|Bus in Sana'a]]
Considering Yemen's size, its [[road]] transportation system is extremely limited. Yemen has 71,300&nbsp;kilometers of roads, only 6,200&nbsp;kilometers of which are [[Road surface|paved]]. In the north, roads connecting [[Sana'a|Sanaa]], [[Taizz]], and [[Al Hudaydah]] are in good condition, as is the [[intercity bus]] system. In the south, on the other hand, roads are in need of repair, except for the Aden–Taizz road.

In November&nbsp;2005, the [[World&nbsp;Bank]] approved a US$40&nbsp;million project to upgrade 200&nbsp;kilometers of intermediate rural roads and 75&nbsp;kilometers of village-access roads as part of a larger effort to strengthen Yemen's rural-road planning and engineering capabilities. Plans are underway to build an estimated US$1.6&nbsp;billion [[highway]] linking Aden (in the south) and [[Amran District|Amran]] (in the north). The road will include more than 10&nbsp;tunnels and halve the travel time between the southern [[coast]] and the northern [[border]] with [[Saudi Arabia]].<ref name=cp/>

Travel by road in Yemen is often unsafe. Within cities, [[minivans]] and small buses ply somewhat regular routes, picking up and dropping off passengers with little regard for other vehicles. [[Taxicab|Taxis]] and [[public transportation]] are available but often lack safety precautions. Despite the presence of traffic lights and traffic policemen, the [[U.S.&nbsp;Embassy]] advises drivers to exercise extreme caution, especially at [[intersection (road)|intersection]]s.

While traffic laws do exist, they are not always enforced. Drivers sometimes drive on the [[Right- and left-hand traffic|left side]] of the road, although right-hand driving is specified by [[Legal system of Yemen|Yemeni law]]. No laws mandate the use of [[seat belt]]s or [[car seat]]s for children. The maximum speed for private cars is 100&nbsp;kilometers per hour (62.5&nbsp;miles per hour), but [[speed limit]]s are rarely enforced. Furthermore, there are many [[Driver's license|underage driver]]s in Yemen. Many vehicles are in poor repair and lack basic parts such as functional [[turn signal]]s, [[headlight]]s, and [[taillight]]s. [[Pedestrian]]s, especially children, and animals are a hazard in both rural and urban areas. Beyond main intercity roads, which are usually paved, the rural roads generally necessitate [[four-wheel-drive]] vehicles or vehicles with high clearance.<ref>[https://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1061.html Yemen country specific information] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130622005753/http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1061.html |date=2013-06-22 }}. US Department of State (April 22, 2009). {{PD-notice}}</ref>

The British government has a clear warning for their military and civilian employees, or British tourists, about using the roads in Yemen: “In the event of a breakdown of law and order access routes in and out of major cities may be blocked. If you wish to drive outside Sana’a you will need prior permission from the Yemen Tourist Police. Travel permits may take at least 24 hours to be issued and are easiest to obtain through a travel agent. Travel without such permission is likely to result in detention and possible deportation. You should be aware that the consular assistance we can offer outside Sana’a is limited due to restrictions on travel. There have been disturbances in Aden, Lahij and al-Dhali’, which have resulted in closures of the Aden-Sana’a road. These have been short-lived but if you intend to travel by road you should check that the road is open before starting your journey. You can drive in Yemen on an International Driving Permit. Driving standards are poor and mountain roads hazardous. You should avoid all road travel outside the main cities at night. Care should also be taken to avoid minefields left over from Yemen's civil wars. Travelling off well-used tracks without an experienced guide could be extremely hazardous, particularly in parts of the south and the central highlands."<ref>Hadden, Robert Lee. 2012. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130408130702/http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA559006 The Geology of Yemen: An Annotated Bibliography of Yemen's Geology, Geography and Earth Science.] Alexandria, VA: US Army Corps of Engineers, [[Army Geospatial Center]].Page 38.</ref>

==Railways==

Yemen does not have any railways, despite several proposals. At the beginning of the 20th&nbsp;century, the [[Ottoman Empire]] suggested that the [[Hejaz railway]] be extended to Yemen, but this never materialized. In 1916 the [[Royal Engineers]] built a metre gauge railway from Ma'alla in Aden to Sheikh 'Othman.  This was later extended to El Khudad, a total distance of {{convert|29|mi|km}}. The line was operated by the [[North Western State Railway|North Western Railway]] of India until it closed in 1929.<ref>{{cite web|title=Aden Railway|url=https://wiki.fibis.org/w/Aden_Railway|website=FIBIS|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref> More recently, in&nbsp;2005, the Yemeni government began to investigate rail connections as part of an overall initiative to upgrade its transportation infrastructure.<ref>{{usurped|1=[https://web.archive.org/web/20080518075452/http://www.yobserver.com/local-news/10014236.html Yemen, Gulf get railway project on track]}}, Yemen Observer, 13 May 2008</ref> In&nbsp;2008 the [[Gulf Cooperation Council]] announced that it had agreed to include Yemen in plans for an integrated [[regional rail]] system and launched feasibility studies.<ref>[http://www.roadex-railex.com/PDF/GulfRailwayNetworktoLinkYemenMulled5Mar08Zawya.pdf Gulf Railway Network to Link Yemen Mulled]{{Dead link|date=July 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=no }}, RoadEx-RailEx.com, 5 March 2008</ref> Yemen has expressed preference for a coastal route beginning in [[Aden]].<ref>[http://www.yementoday.info/pages/news4.htm Proposed railway to link Yemen with the Gulf] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180410201945/http://www.yementoday.info/pages/news4.htm |date=2018-04-10 }}, Yemen Today</ref>

==Ports and merchant marine==

Yemen's main [[port]]s are [[Aden]], [[Al Hudaydah]], [[Mukalla]], and [[Mocha, Yemen|Mocha]]; Aden is the primary port. In addition, Ras Isa serves as the loading point for oil exports, and a small amount of cargo passes through Nishtun.<ref name=cp/>

Facilities at Aden consist of the Maalla Terminal and the Aden Container Terminal (ACT), which opened in March 1999. The port can handle [[Roll-on/roll-off|ro-ro ships]], [[container ship]]s, [[cargo ship]]s, as well as [[Tanker (ship)|tankers]]. In November 2003, following the October 2002 bombing of the French supertanker Limburg off the Yemen coast and the resultant dramatic drop in throughput at the Aden port, the Port of Singapore Authority sold its majority stake in the ACT back to the Yemeni government. In June 2005, Dubai Ports International was selected to manage and operate the ACT (and possibly Maalla Terminal) under a 30-year or longer contract; the Yemeni government will remain a minority shareholder. The Port of Aden has recovered well from the 2002 bombing. In 2004 it had annual traffic of approximately 2,000 vessels and 318,901 twenty-foot-equivalent units of [[Intermodal container|containers]], mostly handled by the ACT. For 2005, the port handled 317,897 twenty-foot-equivalent units of containers, more than double the amount for 2003. For the first seven months of 2006, the port handled 207, 687 twenty-foot-equivalent units of containers. However, in May 2006 the London insurance market's Joint War Committee placed Yemen on its list of “areas of perceived enhanced risk,” which is expected to add a war-risk insurance premium to ships operating in the country's coastal waters. This added premium, coupled with the availability of more secure ports in neighboring countries, will likely result in reduced throughput in Yemen's ports in the near future.<ref name=cp/>

There are 3 ships ({{GT|1,000|metric|disp=long}} or over) totaling {{GT|12,059|metric}}/{{DWT|18,563|metric|disp=long}} (one [[cargo ship]] and 2 [[oil tanker|petroleum tanker]]s) (1999 est.).<ref name=cp/>

The International Maritime Bureau reports offshore waters in the [[Gulf of Aden]] are high risk for [[piracy]]; numerous vessels, including commercial shipping and pleasure craft, have been attacked and [[Maritime hijacking|hijacked]] both at anchor and while underway; crew, passengers, and cargo are held for ransom; the presence of several naval task forces in the Gulf of Aden and additional anti-piracy measures on the part of ship operators reduced the incidence of piracy in that body of water by more than half in 2010.<ref>Hadden, Robert Lee. 2012. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130408130702/http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA559006 The Geology of Yemen: An Annotated Bibliography of Yemen's Geology, Geography and Earth Science.] Alexandria, VA: US Army Corps of Engineers, [[Army Geospatial Center]]. Page 40.</ref>

The [[Yemen Coast Guard]] was established in 2002. According to the [[US Coast Guard]] website, they helped the Yemen Coast Guard with their patrol boats: “US Coast Guard Awards Contract to Build Two 87-foot [[Marine Protector-class coastal patrol boat|Protector-class Coastal Patrol Boats]] for the Yemen Coast Guard. September 11, 2009. The Coast Guard awarded a $28.2 million contract to [[Bollinger Shipyards, Inc.]], in [[Lockport, La.]], on September 11, 2009, to build two 87-foot Protector-class Coastal Patrol Boats for the Yemen Coast Guard. The [[Office of International Acquisition]] (CG-922) at the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) received a request from the [[Navy International Programs Office]] (IPO) to procure these boats on May 13, 2009. The USCG anticipates the delivery to Yemen in August 2011. This procurement is the latest in a series of projects, which further strengthen the longstanding relationship between the US Coast Guard and the Yemen Coast Guard. Since 2003, the [[USCG]] has delivered eight 44-foot [[Motor Life Boats]], twelve 25-foot [[Defender Response Boat]]s, and four 42-foot [[Fast Response Boat]]s (SPC-NLB) to the Yemen Coast Guard. The USCG has also provided 26 mobile training team visits and 54 resident training slots in USCG schools to the Yemen Coast Guard.”

Yemen also has some [[lighthouse]]s that are maintained for sea navigation by the [[Yemen Ports Authority]], an extension of the “[[Port of Aden]].”

==Inland Waterways==
Yemen has no [[waterways]] of any significant length.<ref name=cp/>

==Civil Aviation and Airports==
{{see also|List of airports in Yemen}}
Yemen has 57&nbsp;[[airports]], 17&nbsp;of which have paved runways. Of the 57&nbsp;airports, 5&nbsp;are [[International airport|international]]: [[Aden International Airport|Aden International]], [[Sana'a International Airport|Sanaa International]], [[Ta'izz International Airport|Taizz]], [[Riyan Airport|Rayyan]], and [[Hodeida International Airport|Al Hudaydah]]. A major reconstruction and expansion of Aden International was completed in&nbsp;2001, including a new [[runway]] that can handle large, long-haul aircraft. Plans to make that airport a regional cargo hub, with an "air cargo village" by&nbsp;2004 appear to have failed. Although construction began in January&nbsp;2003, by the end of the year the managing company had dissolved.<ref name=cp/>

[[Yemenia]] is the national airline; in&nbsp;1996 it absorbed South Yemen, the former national carrier. It is expected that Yemenia, which is currently 49&nbsp;percent owned by the Saudi Arabian government and 51&nbsp;percent owned by the Yemen government, will eventually be privatized, but there has been resistance from the Saudis. In&nbsp;2001 the airline carried 858,000&nbsp;passengers. Because the airline's existing fleet of 12&nbsp;airplanes is rapidly becoming outdated, in&nbsp;2002 three new aircraft were leased for eight years, and in early&nbsp;2006 the airline announced plans to acquire six new aircraft, with options for an additional four, beginning in&nbsp;2012.<ref name=cp/>

=== Airports - with paved runways ===
''total:''
17
<br>{{convert|10,000|ft|m|abbr=on}} and over:
4
<br>{{convert|8,000|to|9,999|ft|m|abbr=on}}:
9
<br>{{convert|5,000|to|7,000|ft|m|abbr=on}}:
3
<br>{{convert|3,000|to|4,999|ft|m|abbr=on}}:
1 (2012)

=== Airports - with unpaved runways ===
''total:''
40
<br>{{convert|10,000|ft|m|abbr=on}} and over:
3
<br>{{convert|8,000|to|9,999|ft|m|abbr=on}}:
5
<br>{{convert|5,000|to|7,000|ft|m|abbr=on}}:
7
<br>{{convert|3,000|to|4,999|ft|m|abbr=on}}:
16
<br>under {{convert|3,000|ft|m|abbr=on}}:
9 (2012)

==Pipelines==

According to the U.S. government, as of 2010 Yemen had a total of 1,262 kilometers of pipeline. This total includes pipeline designed for gas (88 kilometers) and oil (1,174 kilometers).<ref name=cp/>

<br>''oil'' 1367&nbsp;km
<br>''gas'' 423&nbsp;km
<br>''petroleum products:'' 22&nbsp;km

== See also ==
{{Portal|Railways}}

* [[Yemen Gulf of Aden Ports Corporation]]
* [[Yemen Red Sea Ports Corporation]]
* [[Yemen Arabian Sea Ports Corporation]]

* [[Yemen]]

==Bibliography==
* Hadden, Robert Lee. 2012. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130408130702/http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA559006 The Geology of Yemen: An Annotated Bibliography of Yemen's Geology, Geography and Earth Science.] Alexandria, VA: US Army Corps of Engineers, [[Army Geospatial Center]].

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Asia topic|Transport in}}

[[Category:Transport in Yemen| ]]
==External links==
{{Commons category|Transport in Yemen}}