Law No. 23 of 2013 on seaports.

Purpose of this Law is to develop the legal framework to enable competent authorities for ports to carry out their responsibility in planning, construction, maintenance, operation and administration of national ports. It encourages ports' development and the private sector participation in the provision of their basic infrastructure, services and facilities. The Law aims to ensure a fair competition also in order to upgrade the ports of Yemen to international standards.
The Law consists of 39 articles divided into 11 Sections: Naming and definitions (I); Objectives (II); Establishment, development and strategies of ports (III); Licences and operating rights (IV); Ship services (V); Issues relating to shipments (VI); Safety of the port (VII); Protection of the Marine Environment in ports (VIII); Fees and wage services and port facilities (IX); Prohibitions and sanctions (X); Final provisions (XI).
Article 8 establishes that only the competent port Authority has the right to provide port services or to perform any activity or service related to the port. However, the Authority may issue licences to others to undertake their work, if in possession of specific requirments as provided for in the text. Relating to security and defence of the environment, article 21 states that each person responsible for any operation or service in the harbor has to retain insurance sufficient for the coverage of any consequences that may arise from any incident. Article 26 provides that every vessel must be adequately insured to meet the costs of disposal to get rid of pollution and its effects and to guarantee the restoration of the marine environment to its natural state. It will pay also fines and compensations to be determined by the competent Marine Authority in accordance with the laws in force.