Division 2 UNVIM Inspection and Verification process

At present, UNVIM applies to all vessels above 100 MT destined for Yemeni ports not under the control of the Government of Yemen and to (1) all vessels transporting commercial goods purchased by Yemen-based commercial or government entities intended for sale in Yemen; (2) bilateral assistance from UN Member States not channelled through a UNAFPs or a recognised international humanitarian organisation.

The verification process starts when a shipping company submits an online clearance request at www.vimye.org, uploads the necessary documents and submits all the requested documentation to UNVIM. Within 48 hours, UNVIM reviews the documentation, and sends notification to external partners such as the Evacuation and Humanitarian Operations Cell of the Coalition Forces (EHOC). UNVIM then decides whether to inspect the vessel or not based on its own process including discrepancies in the documentation received, undeclared port calls, suspicious vessel movement, switching-off the Automatic Identification System (AIS) for more than four hours, and feedback received from external partners. Vessel inspections are either conducted at port in territorial waters or at sea in international waters.

A clearance certificate is then either granted or denied (cancelled, declined or revoked). For cleared vessels, UNVIM keeps monitoring their movements through the AIS, including the transit to the Coalition holding area; from the holding area to anchorage area; from the anchorage to the berth for discharge. UNVIM tracking ends once the cleared vessels departs from Yemen's Red Sea ports after discharging their cargo and sailing out from the port. Throughout the entire process, UNVIM maintains strong contact with the shipping companies and the vessels' Master (Captain) and plays a critical role in addressing any issues the vessels encounter at sea, including advocating with EHOC and the Coalition. UNVIM's facilitation of the entire clearance process and consistent communication with the shipping companies is crucial in maintaining the trust of international shipping lines and, therefore, in ensuring commercial imports to the majority of the Yemeni population continues despite the ongoing conflict.

UNVIM has also sought to reassure the international shipping community through quarterly meetings with their representatives to ensure their difficulties and challenges are correctly understood and addressed.