Dhabba, the Oil Port
Most of the residents of Hadramout the Coast use Dhabba coastal road to move between the directorates, especially Mukalla and the eastern directorates such as Al-Shahr, Al-Deis Al-Sharqiya and Al-Hami.
After the discovery of oil in Hadramout in the eighties of the last century, the oil sector became one of the most important economic resources of the Republic of Yemen. The port of Dhabba is one of the three major ports in Yemen responsible of transporting oil from the production areas to the international market.
Dhabba as Port
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Dhabba port is located on the Arabian Sea in Hadramout Governorate. It was established in 1993. Dhabba Port was qualified to load and ship crude oil for export from Mesila oil (Sector 14), East Shabwa oil sector (10), Hawareem oil 32 and other neighboring fields (53, 51). In this port, there were five tanks with a total capacity of 5000 barrels. The largest reservoir had a capacity of one million barrels.
Dhaba during Al- Qaeda
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When Al-Qaeda invaded the coast of Hadramout, they controlled over the important air and sea ports. After the liberation of the city by the Hadrami Elite Forces recruited from the Arab Coalition, the Elite Forces and the Coalition Forces were forced to impose a special security situation on the governorate, especially the coast of Hadramout. That led to the stability and security of the coast of Hadramout thanks to the Hadrami Elite Forces.
After Liberation
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This security situation has negatively affected the citizens. In the recent period, many residents of the Directorate of Al-Shiher and of the eastern directorates adopted the Sheikh Zayed Road Project funded by the United Arab Emirates through its red crescent of the UAE. The new road passes through the Directorate of Ghail, then areas of Hawa, Ma’ayan Almsajeda, Sada’a, Habayer, Qara, then the area of Sheheer and then the line of Al Riyan to Mukalla. It is associated with a number of rural villages and agricultural areas, increasing the distance between the eastern directorates and Mukalla about two to three hours for the people of Shiher and five hours for the people of Al-Deis Al-Sharqiya and Al-Hami where the people of Al-Shiher pass through the road in less than an hour.
Stopping Effects
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There are effects of stopping traffic through the Dhabba Road. One of these effects are the increasing distance between the eastern directorates and Mukalla, which led to many other serious effects. The stopping affects on the patients coming from the eastern directorates to Mukalla hospitals. In many times the case’s condition gets worse on the road between the two sides due to the far distance they cross. Another effect is the increase of the passenger’s fare. Of the effects is the students’ performance that is effected due to the number of hours they spend on the road and in transportation. It also affects the functional level of employees. Without mentioning the traffic accidents due to unpaved road.
Dhabba Today
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Today, the governor of Hadramout Governorate, Maj. Gen. Faraj Salmeen Al-Bahssani, inaugurated the Dhabba road linking the city of Mukalla with the eastern cities.
The inauguration comes in the context of addressing the community that the local authority has been concerned with its issues. As this route is considered more concise, and secure than the previous one that served as an alternative during the post-war of the land clearing operations of Hadrami Elite from Al-Qaeda in 2015.