Despite rocket fire at Haifa, Israeli seaports operating as usual, authorities say
In letter, Port Authority says Israel’s ‘multi-layered security,’ including Iron Dome, keeps ships safe from Eilat to Ashdod and Haifa amid rocket and drone attacks
Israel’s ports in the northern city of Haifa are operating at normal capacity despite the escalation in fighting with Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, which has targeted the city with rocket fire, Israeli authorities said Tuesday.
Haifa, Israel’s third largest city, handles much of the country’s vital seaborne trade. On Monday, sirens sounded in the center of the city for the first time after 11 months of rocket fire from Lebanon, and the IDF fired interceptors at Hezbollah rockets above Haifa Bay. No damage was reported. Sirens sounded again in the city on Tuesday.
The government’s Port Authority issued a letter to clarify that no changes had been made at ports ranging from the southernmost point of Eilat on the Red Sea to the major Mediterranean ports in Haifa and Ashdod.
“Following recent events, we find it necessary to reassure that our ports… are fully open for business and functioning at full capacity,” said the letter, which was seen by Reuters.
“Israeli ports are considered the safest in the world, thanks to multi-layered security, a high standard of cyber security at all times and also protected by the highly efficient Iron Dome, among other anti-rocket systems both on land and at sea that are assigned specifically to protect our ports,” the letter continued.
The Transportation Ministry, which oversees the administration of shipping and ports, gave no details beyond what was in the letter, saying only that all activities were coordinated with the military’s Home Front Command.
“The security situation is assessed continuously; any change will be communicated immediately,” the port administration added in the letter. The letter said Israel would provide war damage compensation for commercial vessels within the country’s economic waters.
In August, the Marshall Islands ship registry, one of the world’s biggest flags, maintained its highest security level for the Haifa port as well as for Ashdod in the south.
“The threat of collateral damage to merchant vessels has increased significantly,” the Marshall Islands said in its August advisory.
A number of ports operate in Haifa, including Haifa Port led by India’s Adani Group, Bayport operated by China’s SIPG, and the smaller Israel Shipyards port.
Shipping and insurance sources said ships calling at Israeli ports faced the broader threat of being targeted by Yemen’s Houthi terror group in open waters in the Red Sea.
The Iran-backed Houthis say they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians in Israel’s war on Hamas in Gaza. In more than 70 attacks, the Houthis have sunk two vessels, seized another and killed at least three seafarers.
They have warned that ships with any links to Israel, the UK or the United States will be attacked, although in practice they have targeted vessels from a large number of origin countries.
Industry sources said additional war risk premiums, paid when vessels sail through the Red Sea to Israel from Asia, were quoted at up to 2% of the value of the vessel from around 1.0% in August.
