It’s possible that I shall make an ass of myself. But in that case one can always get out of it with a little dialectic. I have, of course, so worded my proposition as to be right either way (K.Marx, Letter to F.Engels on the Indian Mutiny)
Tuesday, April 29, 2025
Concerning chemicals from the wear of climbing shoes cause trouble in indoor halls
Concentrations as high as those by a busy road illustrate the importance of solutions
Those who climb indoors are doing something for their health. But climbing shoes contain chemicals of concern that can enter the lungs of climbers through the abrasion of the soles. In a recent study, researchers from the University of Vienna and EPFL Lausanne have shown for the first time that high concentrations of potentially harmful chemicals from climbing shoe soles can be found in the air of bouldering gyms, in some cases higher than on a busy street. The results have been published in the journal Environmental Science and Technology Air.
A climbing hall is filled with a variety of smells: sweat, chalk dust - and a hint of rubber. A research group led by environmental scientist Thilo Hofmann at the University of Vienna has now discovered that rubber abrasion from climbing shoes can enter the lungs of athletes. The shoes contain rubber compounds similar to those used in car tires - including additives suspected of being harmful to humans and the environment.
"The soles of climbing shoes are high performance products, just like car tires", explains Anya Sherman, first author of the study and an environmental scientist at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science (CeMESS) at the University of Vienna. Additives are specific chemicals that make these materials more resilient and durable; they are essential for their function.
Sherman enjoys climbing herself - as a balance to her work in the lab and on the computer. At a conference, she met Thibault Masset from the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), who researches similar topics and also enjoys climbing. The two researchers and equal first authors of the study came up with the idea of testing the rubber from their own climbing shoes using the same scientific methods they use to analyze car tires. "We were familiar with the black residue on the holds in climbing gyms, the abrasion from the soles of our shoes. Climbers wipe it off to get a better grip, and it gets kicked up into the air", adds Sherman.
Equipped with an impinger, a particle-measuring device that mimics the human respiratory tract, Sherman, in collaboration with Professor Lea Ann Daily's research group, collected air samples in five bouldering gyms in Vienna. The impinger draws in air at a rate of 60 liters per minute and separates particles in the same way as they would enter the human lungs. Other dust samples for the study were collected in collaboration with the EPFL Lausanne from bouldering gyms in France, Spain and Switzerland.
"Air pollution in the bouldering gyms was higher than we expected", says corresponding author Thilo Hofmann. What was striking was that the concentration of rubber additives was particularly high where many people were climbing in a confined space. Hofmann concludes: "The levels we measured are among the highest ever documented worldwide, comparable to multi-lane roads in megacities."
In 30 pairs of shoes tested, the team found some of the same pollutants as in car tires: among the 15 rubber additives found was 6PPD, a rubber stabilizer whose transformation product has been linked to salmon kills in rivers.
What this means for human health is still unclear. But Hofmann stresses: "These substances do not belong in the air we breathe. It makes sense to act before we know all the details about the risks, especially with regard to sensitive groups such as children."
Sherman also points out that the operators of the studied bouldering gyms were very cooperative and showed a high level of interest in improving the air quality in their gyms. "This constructive cooperation should lead to the creation of the healthiest possible climbing hall environment, for example through better ventilation, cleaning, avoiding peak times and designing climbing shoes with fewer additives."
"It is essential to switch to sole materials with fewer harmful substances," says Hofmann. He says manufacturers are currently not sufficiently aware of the problem. The rubber they buy for their soles contains a cocktail of undesirable chemicals. More research is needed to understand how these substances affect the human body. Anya Sherman remains motivated: "I will continue to climb, and I am confident that our research will contribute to better conditions in climbing gyms."
Thilo Hofmann is Professor of Environmental Geosciences at the Centre for Microbiology and Environmental Systems Science and co-director of the Environment and Climate Research Hub at the University of Vienna. This network brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplines to produce excellent scientific knowledge that can provide solutions to pressing problems such as climate change, biodiversity loss and environmental pollution.
The Invisible Footprint of Climbing Shoes: High Exposure to Rubber Additives in Indoor Facilities
Article Publication Date
24-Apr-2025
1 dead in mass casualty event after boat crashes into Clearwater Ferry in Florida
DARREN REYNOLDS and T. MICHELLE MURPHY Mon, April 28, 2025
One person was killed and 12 people were injured when a boat struck the Clearwater Ferry in Clearwater, Florida, on Sunday evening.
All of the injured individuals were people on the ferry, according to the Clearwater Police Department. BayCare Health System said it received a total of nine patients on Sunday night at three of their hospitals, and said Monday all but one have been treated and released.
There were 45 people aboard the ferry, including two crew members, when it was hit by a passing boat, police said.
The boat that struck the ferry fled the scene, Clearwater police said in a social media post on Sunday night. Authorities said it was later found by a responding agency.
"It’s been declared a mass casualty incident by the fire department due to the number of injuries. All local hospitals have been notified," Clearwater police wrote in a post on X on Sunday night.
"Multiple trauma alerts have been called with helicopters transporting two of the more seriously injured," the post continued. PHOTO: This image provided by Mike Boylan shows authorities at the scene of a boat crash that involved a public ferry carrying 45 passengers near Clearwater Beach. Fla., Sunday, April 27, 2025. (Mike Boylan via AP)More
The incident took place near the Memorial Causeway Bridge in Clearwater. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg was notified at approximately 8:40 p.m., the Seventh Coast Guard District wrote on X.
After the crash, the ferry came to rest on a sand bar just south of the bridge. First responders and emergency personnel were then able to remove "all patients and passengers" from the ferry, police said.
175th Anniversary of San Francisco Bar Pilots Honored by California
Bar Pilots Celebrated for Protecting State’s Environment and Economy
On Tuesday, the San Francisco Bar Pilots were presented with a resolution from the California legislature commemorating the organization's 175th anniversary. On April 22, 1850, during the first legislative session of the new State of California, elected officials passed laws to create the first state-licensed Bar Pilots. Since then, the Bar Pilots have continuously served the State of California and its residents by providing critical navigation services to commercial vessels in the San Francisco Bay and its tributaries.
“For 175 years, the Bar Pilots have been hard at work to ensure that the San Francisco Bay continues to be a robust trade hub and a model for environmental sustainability,” said Sen. Timothy Grayson, Sen. Jesse Arreguín, and Sen. Scott Wiener in a joint statement. “We look forward to supporting the Bar Pilots as they oversee the San Francisco Bay and its waterways for another 175 years.”
While the work of the San Francisco Bar Pilots has evolved over the past 175 years, some things remain the same: the Pilots still board vessels 11 miles west of the Golden Gate Bridge via a traditional rope ladder. And, most importantly, their core mission still stands true: protecting the public, environment, and regional economy through the safe and efficient navigation of vessels.
“Our ports are a major economic driver in the Bay Area and the greater State of California, and these ports cannot function without the crucial work of the San Francisco Bar Pilots,” said Asm. Diane Papan and Asm. Lori Wilson, authors of the Assembly’s member resolution. “We are proud to recognize the rich history of the organization and the importance of pilotage service in the San Francisco Bay and beyond on such a special day.”
Today, there are almost 50 state-regulated pilot associations across the country that keep America’s economy moving. The San Francisco Bar Pilots are a critical component of the Bay Area's supply chain and are proud to be a part of the network of piloting professionals that are dedicated to safety, service, protection of the environment, and growth of the economy.
“It is an incredible honor to celebrate the Bar Pilots’ 175 years of service to the State of California today,” said Capt. John Carlier, President of the San Francisco Bar Pilots. “This milestone would not be possible without the scores of pilots who, for the last 175 years, have made it their life’s work to protect the San Francisco Bay through the safe navigation of the many vessels that call our ports.”
CMA CGM Will Double Logistics Operation in Turkey with Acquisition
CEVA will double its logistics operation in Turkey with the acquisition (Borusan Tedarik)
CMA CGM through its subsidiary CEVA Logistics is continuing the efforts to expand its logistics portfolio with the acquisition of Turkish logistics firm, Borusan Tedarik. The deal which is valued at approximately $440 million will double CEVA’s footprint in a key strategic market and provide new opportunities in other regions.
Borusan Tedarik has been in operation for more than 50 years, providing comprehensive logistics solutions in Turkey. This includes contract logistics, finished vehicle logistics (FVL), full truckload (FTL), and less than truckload (LTL) ground transport, as well as air and ocean freight and customs. In 2024, Borusan Tedarik had a gross revenue of $567 million and approximately 4,000 employees.
CEVA said the acquisition would nearly double the size of its warehousing and distribution operations in Turkey, adding approximately 570,000 square meters to its existing 620,000 square meters of warehouse space. Further, the combined ground transport activities would execute nearly one million transports per year in Turkey.
The deal also includes the transfer of Borusan Tedarik subsidiaries in Germany, Bulgaria, Hong Kong and China. Borusan Limani, another logistics company in the Borusan group that manages operations at the Borusan port on Gemlik Gulf in the Sea of Marmara, however, will remain with the Turkish group.
“As a top 5 global logistics player, we have identified Turkey as one of our strategic geographies where we expect to grow significantly. Complementing our existing presence in Turkey with reputable experts and operations of Borusan Tedarik would put us in a position to offer even greater value to our combined customers,” said Mathieu Friedberg, CEO CEVA Logistics.
CEVA reports it will emerge in the top 3 with the automotive industry in finished vehicle handling, Its ocean capacity will be increased by 25 percent, while its air capabilities will rank among the top 5 in Turkey.
As the logistics arm of the CMA CGM Group, CEVA is integrating other large logistics players recently acquired by the ocean carrier. These include Ingram Micro’s CLS Division, GEFCO and Bollore Logistics.
Under the terms of the agreement with Borusan, CEVA will acquire 100 percent of Borusan Tedarik, including 69.47 percent of the shares held by the private Borusan Holdings and the remaining 30.53 percent which is held by the publicly traded Borusan Yatlrlm. Closing the deal is subject to regulatory approvals.
CMA CGM Becomes First Large Carrier to Register Containership in India
Ceremonies marked the reflagging of the vessel in India (Minister of Ports)
Supporting the Indian government’s ambitions to build the country’s role in international shipping, CMA CGM Group today marked the transfer of one of its ships to the Indian register. India which is already home to many seafarers wants to develop its shipping operations and expand its shipbuilding industry to more international shipping.
CMA CGM was one of several major shipping companies including also Maersk and MSC Mediterranean Shipping to express interest in India. The company hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at its headquarters in February and said it would explore registering ships in India. The company is also looking at India’s shipbuilding and repair operations and already has investments in terminals located at Nhava Sheva Freeport, near Mumbai, and Mundra Port.
Today, April 28, the CMA CGM Vitoria was officially entered into the India registry while the ship was docked at the Nhava Sheva Free Port terminal. Built in 2008 and acquired by CMA CGM in 2022, the 33,434 dwt vessel was previously registered in Malta. Entering the Indian registry requires the ship to be crewed by Indian nationals and be classed by the Indian Registry of Shipping.
The vessel, which has a capacity of 2,592 TEU is deployed on a route between India, the Persian Gulf region, and the Red Sea. India’s Economic Times highlights that Indian ships pay a tonnage tax instead of corporate taxes and the country is considered “lender and regulatory unfriendly for fleet owners.” However, the news outlet says CMA CGM will soon transfer a second vessel CMA CGM Manaus (built in 2009 and 2,592 teu) from the flag of Malta to India. CMA CGM in its announcement said three more vessels after the CMA CGM Vitoria will be transferred in the coming months to the Indian flag.
India’s Directorate General of Shipping was credited with helping to facilitate the transfer. Officials said CMA CGM is “testing the waters.” They predicted more ships would follow.
The vessel is required to have an Indian crew and be classed by the Indian registry of Shipping (CMA CGM)
CMA CGM highlights it is part of its 34-year presence in India noting that it currently operates 19 weekly maritime services that call in Indian ports. The company also recently opened a crew management office in Mumbai for its fleet. To facilitate the transfer, it set up an Indian subsidiary.
The Economic Times highlights that CMA CGM follows several other large shipping companies. BW LPG is the largest owner/operator of Indian-flagged VLGCs with nine LPG carriers and Mitsui O.S.K. Lines is the nation’s fourth-biggest fleet operator with nine oil, product, and gas carriers, reports the Economic Times.
India’s state-run Shipping Corporation of India is the only operator of Indian-flagged containerships. It has three smaller vessels and a fourth under charter.
Finnish Coast Guard Reports Dangerous Incident with Shadow Fleet Tanker
Finland detained a shadow fleet tanker in 2024 suspected of damaging undersea cables (Finnish Police)
Finland joined its neighbor Estonia in reporting a continuing increase in the number of suspicious vessels sailing in the Gulf of Finland and the waterways of the Baltic to and from Russia. The Finnish Coast Guard recounted an incident where a laden tanker had to be warned off the course it was on heading toward a shoal, the second in just months involving a shadow tanker.
In its weekly update, the Finnish Board Guard reports that an unnamed shadow fleet tanker carrying crude oil was nearing a dangerous shoal near the Kalbadagrund lighthouse east of Helsinki near Emäsalo on the Gulf of Finland. They determined the vessel was within about 10 minutes of reaching the shoal with the danger of “serious marine environmental damage” if the vessel had continued on its course.
The Maritime Traffic Center was able to reach the vessel by radio and warn it about the dangers. The vessel corrected its course. The Coast Guard says a similar dangerous situation took place in February in the same location. Again, another tanker belonging to the shadow fleet was on a dangerous course.
“During the past week, several ships belonging to the so-called shadow fleet, whose flag state has been unclear, were again spotted in the Gulf of Finland,” says the Board Guard in its weekly summary. They noted that during the past week, “anomalies were detected” and investigated with the AIS signal from vessels registered in Panama and Liberia. “The Gulf of Finland Coast Guard continues to monitor the phenomenon,” they report.
Estonia’s Foreign Minster Margus Tsahkna yesterday, April 28, also said his country was continuing to detect shadow fleet vessels sailing under flags of convenience. He said Estonia was the first country to start inspecting the vessels in June 2024 of the Russian shadow fleet. Since then, Tsahkna said his country has requested insurance documents from more than 500 ships and that it would continue to conduct Port State inspections of passing vessels.
One of these inspections resulted in the detention of a shadow fleet tanker, the Kiwala, due to suspicions it was operating as a stateless vessel without insurance. Estonia detected 23 deficiencies due to documentation and another 17 technical issues saying 29 of the issues were grounds for the detention. After two weeks the vessel was able to demonstrate technical compliance and departed Estonia bound for Russia. However, according to Estonia’s Transport Administration, the vessel’s flag registration was only extended till May 7 by Djibouti, providing it time to transition. Djibouti reportedly canceled the registration at the beginning of 2025 due to “illegal activities.” The European Union, United Kingdom, Canada, and Switzerland all had previously sanctioned the tanker.
Finland and Estonia each said they would continue to monitor vessels transiting the Baltic. Tsahkna also called for cooperation among the Baltic states to protect the marine environment from the continuing danger coming from the shadow fleet.
Port of Los Angles Foresees “Precipitous Drop” in Next Week's Cargo Volumes
Port of LA expects to begin seeing the drop in volumes due to the impact of the tariffs (Port of LA file photo)
Speaking on CNBC’s Squawk Box program this morning (April 29), the Port of Los Angeles’ Executive Director Gene Seroka forecasted a “precipitous drop” in volumes coming to the port as the impact of the Trump tariffs begins to materialize. Seroka was the latest in a series of warnings coming from across the shipping industry of the expected sudden drop in imports and the potential impact on U.S. consumers and the economy.
Seroka who at the beginning of April forecasted the port would see a 10 percent decline in volumes in the second half of the year, said on CNBC that volumes would be down by more than a third next week compared to 2024. He said the port’s planning tool shows a 35 percent decline next week noting that approximately 45 percent of the port’s volume is made up of shipments from China.
Today, the Port of Los Angeles is reporting that there are only six containerships on berth, down from 14 last Friday, April 25. While the report shows 44 vessels inbound between Asia but still outside the 40 nautical mile zone, the port also reflects that 20 sailings have been blanked by the carriers during May. That represents 253,500 TEU of capacity that has been canceled for the month while an additional 10 sailings (117,500 TEU of capacity) have already been canceled for June.
Seroka told CNBC that the cancellations in May represent approximately a quarter of the usual number of ships arriving in the port. It will have direct repercussions on the jobs of the longshoremen and others working in the port as well as the trucking and warehousing industries.
The concerns are starting to ripple across the U.S. economy. The Conference Board reported today that consumer confidence plunged to a five-year low reaching levels not seen since the pandemic in May 2020. The report shows that the consumer confidence index fell 7.9 points in April to 86 with growing concerns over the job market and a looming recession.
Seroka forecasted that consumers would begin to see the impact of the slowdown in imports with reduced choices on the shelves of retail stores. Other economists have been more dire in their outlook suggesting that Americans would soon begin to experience shortages and empty shelves rivaling the peak of the pandemic.
Retailers appeared to rush shipments in March in an effort to build inventory. The Port of Los Angeles reported that March volumes were up nearly 5 percent for the month. During the first quarter, it said volumes were up better than 5 percent. This led Seroka to forecast on CNBC today that retailers have about five to seven weeks of full inventory left on their shelves.
The March trade deficit report from the Commerce Department supported the position that retailers rushed imports through the ports last month. The U.S. trade deficit for goods widened to a record high ($162 billion) in March with imports in total soaring to over $340 billion. The goods trade gap increased to just under 10 percent or an increase of more than $16 billion creating the imbalance despite a more than $2 billion increase in exports.
Seroka forecast that the volumes coming out of China, except for a few commodities, would remain “light at best” until “some accord or framework can be reached with China.”
Lull in Houthi Attacks on Shipping as Air War Pressure Builds
Data captured by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations in Dubai suggests that Houthi attacks on shipping have largely ceased, the last incident recorded being an attempted attack on a ship by suspected pirates on April 15. The Houthis claim to have attacked the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) in the Red Sea, but the US Navy doesn’t appear to have noticed. Occasional Houthi ballistic missile attacks on Israel have however continued. The only safe conclusion to draw at present is that the Houthi missile and drone capability is degraded, but that a resumption of attacks on shipping could still resume.
The conventional expert wisdom is that an air campaign against the Houthis will not dent their tenacious will to fight, the Houthis being stubbornly resistant to casualties and damage inflicted. Such impressions are reinforced by the large crowds that the Houthis are able to mobilize for political demonstrations, such as occurred in Sana’a on April 18.
But Houthi attempts to characterize the American strikes as an indiscriminate assault on civilians, copying the Hamas narrative in Gaza, have largely fallen on deaf ears. One of the largest civilian death counts occurred on April 20, when the Furwa Market in Old Sanaa was struck not by CENTCOM but by a defective Houthi anti-aircraft missile. An attempt to label a strike on a weapons store in a building under construction in Saada as an attack on a cancer clinic was disproven by the Houthis’ own images of the scene.
A spokesperson for the Houthi Health Ministry reported on April 19 that 198 people had been killed since March, without indicating how many were civilians. There clearly was a large death toll following US attacks on port infrastructure both in Hodeida and the Ras Isa fuel terminal around April 24, but elsewhere attacks appear to have been relatively well calibrated and precise. On April 28, the Houthis claimed that 68 African migrants being held in a detention center were killed by an American airstrike.
On balance, the American airstrikes are causing neither an upsurge of support for the Houthi leadership, nor yet a revolt. Their Yemeni opponents think pressure is building on the Houthis, but that a tipping point has not yet been reached. On April 24, the head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council, Rashad al-Alimi, was still speaking of ‘promising signs of a shift in the balance of power’ and ‘growing unity among anti-Houthi factions’.
This appraisal appears to be shared by CENTCOM campaign planners. For the moment, strikes are focused on the Houthi leadership, missile and drone infrastructure, sources of revenue and on technical cadres. Strike data from ISW and compiled by @VleckieHond do not yet show a focus on Houthi front line positions, particularly in the Marib and around Hodeida, where government forces would need to break through if they were to recapture key territory taken over by the Houthis.
I plan to update this map every few days with newly located strikes. For now downloads of the source file will only be considered through requests over DMs
But in the meantime, cumulative damage continues to be inflicted. While this pressure on the Houthis continues and builds, CENTCOM gives no indication of any intent to scale back its assault, despite attrition of munitions stocks and MQ-9 Reapers.
Hence the campaign is settling in as a battle of wills, and the Houthis appear to have the weaker hand. Notwithstanding their reputation for resilience, the Houthis have in the past succumbed to pressure - but only when threatened by a loss of territory to their Yemeni opponents. As for Houthi political obduracy, it should be remembered that the Royalist faction under Imam Muhammad al-Badr in Yemen’s civil war of the 1960s came from the Shi’a stronghold in Saada which is now the Houthi heartland - and in those days they accepted military support both from the British and the occasional paradrop of weapons from the Israelis. If the threat to shipping is to be definitively brought to an end, reflected in the risk assessments and responses of the maritime community, then a significant political change in Houthi thinking will still be necessary.
Report: USS Truman Lost Fighter While Maneuvering to Avoid Houthi Attack
File image: USS Harry S. Truman slides into a hard port turn at full power during sea trials, 2012 (USN file image)
The crew of the carrier USS Harry S. Truman lost a strike fighter over the side while repositioning it belowdecks, the Navy confirmed Monday. Two officials told Politico that at the time of the casualty, the carrier maneuvering to avoid a Houthi attack; separately, CNN reports that Truman was making a hard turn to dodge Houthi fire. Nimitz-class carriers are capable of (and tested for) hard maneuvering at high speed. The Navy has not officially confirmed these accounts.
Truman is on an extended deployment in the Red Sea, and her crew is running an around-the-clock bombing campaign against Houthi targets in Yemen. They have worked continuously to keep strike sorties moving since March 15, launching and recovering fighters day and night.
On Monday, an F/A-18E Super Hornet of fighter squadron VFA 136 was under tow in the hangar bay, attached to a tow tractor. The crew lost control of the aircraft, and the aircraft and tractor went over the side. The sailors involved in the evolution took cover and got out of the way before it went over, and only one individual sustained a minor injury.
The Truman and her air wing remain fully mission capable, the Navy confirmed. In addition, the Truman Carrier Strike Group is operating alongside sister ship USS Carl Vinson and Vinson's escorts, forming a powerful dual carrier task force.
One Super Hornet costs about $70 million, or roughly three percent of the $2.3 billion cost overrun on carrier USS Gerald R. Ford. An investigation into the cause of the casualty is under way.
Since March 15, the Truman and Vinson strike groups - aided by shore-based elements - have launched 800 separate airstrikes on Houthi positions in Yemen. The frequency of Houthi attacks has declined under the weight of U.S. bombardment of the group's storehouses, workshops and launch positions, but the group remains capable of launching missiles and drones at a slower pace.
Truman has had two other mishaps this deployment: she collided with a merchant ship on February 12, damaging her hull above the waterline; and her escort USS Gettysburg accidentally shot down an F/A-18 fighter in a friendly-fire incident in December.
Three Product Tankers Sanctioned by U.S. for Deliveries to Houthis
U.S. sanctioned vessels for delivering petroleum products to the Houthi-controlled ports (file photo)
The United States is continuing its pressure campaign against the Houthis in Yemen and Iran as the sponsors of the militants with a new round of sanctions. The Department of the Treasury and the Office of Foreign Assets Control sanctioned three product tankers and their shipping companies for offloading products in Yemen after the expiration of U.S. licenses at the beginning of April.
The U.S. previously had authorized the offloading of refined petroleum products in Yemen as part of humanitarian aid, but the licenses ended as of April 4, 2025, after the Trump administration on March 4, re-designated the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. The U.S. is linking the products to Iran’s oil sanctions evasion and says the Houthis are profiting from the shipment of goods through ports they control in Yemen. In particular, the U.S. is citing the discharge of refined petroleum products.
Treasury highlights that the Houthis control the Red Sea ports of Hudaydah, Ras Isa, and Al-Salif, and assets the group is funneling millions of dollars derived from port revenue and the seizure of refined petroleum products imported through these ports to fund the attack campaign against U.S. interests and those of our allies in the region. Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender says the group sells refined petroleum products delivered through these ports at exorbitant prices on Yemen’s black market, which enables Houthi operatives to purchase military materials, creates an artificial shortage of essential goods for average Yemenis, and fuels rampant corruption among Houthi leaders.
One of the product tankers that was listed is the San Marino-flagged Tulip BZ (25,926 dwt) which was built in 1993 and is now owned by interests in Lebanon. The U.S. says the vessel finished discharging its cargo in Ras Isa on April 10 and that in the past it has been used to transport petroleum products for Iran. Previously as the Gas Line (operating between 2012 and 2021), the U.S. says the vessel transported products for the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. The Marshall Islands-registered Zaas Shipping & Trading Co, which facilitated the delivery of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) to Ras Isa is also being listed.
The second vessel, the product tanker Maisan (73,741 dwt), registered in Panama, completed offloading gas oil in Ras Isa on April 8. The vessel, built in 2005, is managed by the Mauritius-registered Bagsak Shipping and according to the U.S. has also been linked since February 2023 with the export of Russian crude oil and petroleum products. The U.S. says the Maisan was previously managed by a company that was one of the top players in the shadow tanker fleet involved in the export of Russian crude oil and petroleum products defying Western sanctions.
The White Whale (37,263 dwt) was built in 2001 and is also linked to ownership interests in Lebanon. The U.S. reports the vessel finished offloading gas oil in Ras Isa on April 17. It is managed by the Marshall Islands-registered Great Success Shipping Company.
Treasury is also reporting that two other previously sanctioned vessels are still delivering products to the Houthis. It identified an LPG tanker now named Clipper (29,458 dwt) for a recent shipment of Butane and propane to Yemen. The ship is now showing a false flag of Guyana according to the Equasis database and unknown management. The U.S. says in December 2022 the vessel then known as Queen Luca was listed for its ties to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force.
The Akoya Gas, an LPG tanker built in 1997, registered in Tanzania in mid-April was at a berth in Yemen. The U.S. says it was blocked in September 2022 when it was operating as Gas Allure for its involvement in Iranian petrochemical and petroleum sales.
U.S. Central Command announced on April 17 that it had attacked the Houthi-operated fuel port at Ras Isa. The port handled fuel imports critical for the Houthis' military operations while commercial operations also made it a major source of tax revenue for the Houthis. CENTCOM reported yesterday, April 27, that since the bombing operation began on March 15, U.S. forces have carried out more than 800 strikes on Houthi targets greatly degrading their capabilities.
U.S. Forces Have Carried Out More Than 800 Strikes on Houthis
On Sunday, U.S. Central Command said that its multiweek campaign of airstrikes against Yemen's Houthi militant group is having an effect, and the number of Houthi missile and drone attacks on U.S. Navy warships is beginning to come down.
Since the operation began on March 15, U.S. forces have carried out more than 800 strikes on Houthi targets, CENTCOM said, killing hundreds of the group's fighters and multiple members of its leadership. The casualties include "senior Houthi and UAV officials," and the command said that it is using intelligence to reduce civilian harm.
CENTCOM declined to divulge the specifics of past or future targets for reasons of operational security. It has had serious issues with leaks in the recent past: at the outset of the campaign, a group of senior U.S. leaders accidentally gave a reporter the details of imminent strike force launch times, target sequencing and time on target - sensitive advance information about when U.S. pilots would be arriving over Yemen.
CENTCOM has declined to discuss any details of the time or location of its strikes, but it has released a list of the types of installations it is targeting. The target list includes command centers, air defense systems, weapons factories, and weapons storage locations. The command is prioritizing the advanced weapons that the Houthis have used against shipping - anti-ship ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, UAVs and drone boats.
The destruction of the Houthi-operated fuel port at Ras Isa will begin to have a broader effect on the group, too, the command said. The port handled fuel imports critical for the Houthis' military operations; its commercial traffic also made it a major source of tax revenue for its Houthi overseers.
Two carriers remain on station in the Red Sea to carry out ongoing strikes, supported by B-2 strategic bombers operating out of Diego Garcia. "We will continue to increase the pressure and further disintegrate Houthi capabilities as long as they continue to impede freedom of navigation," CENTCOM said.
The Houthis still retain the ability to launch attacks on shipping and continue to target U.S. warships. However, the militant group now operates at a much reduced tempo, the command said. The number of ballistic missile launches has dropped by nearly 70 percent, and suicide drone attacks are down by 55 percent. The fact that the Houthis retain an ability to launch attacks suggests continued Iranian support. "The Houthis can only continue to attack our forces with the backing of the Iranian regime," CENTCOM concluded.
