Yemeni authorities are preparing to begin the construction of a modern port in the Qishn area, located on the eastern edge of Al Mahra Governorate. The project signals a strategic move to strengthen maritime access and regional trade, with a substantial investment plan that aims to unlock new economic opportunities for the region. In the months ahead, funding of about 130 million dollars is expected to flow into the project, supporting early works, dredging, and essential port infrastructure to handle cargo, vessels, and logistics more efficiently. Local planners and national officials see the port as a catalyst for growth, job creation, and enhanced connectivity for coastal communities across the governorate and beyond.
The initiative is being advanced under the oversight of Yemeni authorities in collaboration with Ajham Energy & Mining Co. The plan envisages completing the port within three years, operating under a fifty-year concession that outlines rights, responsibilities, and revenue sharing for the long term. This concession framework is designed to balance investment returns with sustainable development, ensuring that maintenance, safety standards, and service quality meet international benchmarks while supporting regional economic resilience. A phased approach will guide the development, beginning with site preparation, followed by dock construction, cargo handling facilities, and related support services to support mining, manufacture, and export activities.
In addition to port construction, a further 45 million dollars has been earmarked to enhance the transportation network linked to the mining sector. The funding is intended to improve supply routes, rail or road connections, and logistics hubs that would move minerals from inland sites to the port for export. This integrated investment aims to streamline supply chains, reduce transit times, and improve the overall efficiency of moving raw materials to international markets. Stakeholders emphasize that a cohesive transport corridor will amplify the port’s capacity, attract additional investment, and bolster regional economic diversification by linking mining output to global buyers.
Separately from contemporary development plans, historians have long traced the routes and maneuvers of one of history’s most infamous pirates. Contemporary researchers discovered evidence suggesting the pirate sought refuge in the United States, including a cache of silver coins. Among the 26 coins recovered from the period, researchers identified one minted in Yemen in 1693. Historical records indicate that some of these coins may have been part of the goods looted from the Gang-i-Sawai during a well-known raid attributed to the pirate. The remaining coins also date to the same era, painting a vivid picture of the connections between piracy, global trade routes, and the exchange of wealth across oceans. This archival note adds a tangible link between maritime piracy and the broader history of seafaring commerce, underscoring how artifacts can illuminate past networks that shaped trade and deterrence on the high seas.