Shipping from Djibouti

[mosebone]

Hi, Has anyone shipped from Djibouti and travelled through Yemen, Saudi, Jordon, Syria ,Turkey etc or shipped from Djibouti to Europe recently? Any info gratefully received.
I'm in a 110 Landrover.
Ian

Welcome to Overlandtrombone

[Stephano]

from December 2008

Not so much shipping detail but some great photos and background reading.

singapore2poland » Blog Archive » Yemen - mystic San’a, men’s toys and the magic green plant

Stephan

[mosebone]

Nice blog that but it unfortunately doesn't cover my needs. I am after a way of travelling up the East of Africa without having to travel through Egypt. Djibouti seemed a logical idea and I wondered if anyone had any experience of this or perhaps a suitable alternative suggestion. Thanks for replying anyway Stephan as it is appreciated.
Cheers, Ian

Just looked on FCO website and need to ask if anyone knows how relevant there Yemen advice is. I know they have to cover themselves.

[danielsprague]

I spek from the research I've done rather than experience - I'm looking at shipping from Yemen to Djibouti.

Basically there are no real facilites to ship a car, but it's not impossible. I have friends who shipped a BIG Mercedes 4x4 truck from Djibouti to Yemen. But you need a bit of luck, and plenty of time. The problem is cranes to transfer the car to a dhow, and you need two cars to balance the boat. as they are put on the sides of the main deck.

So there are no firm arrangements or guarantees that you can make before turning up.

The alternative is to get a Yemeni visa, then get a Saudi transit visa in Sudan, and ship from Port Sudan to Jeddah. This is, I think, the only fixed route RO-RO ferry in the region (no cranes etc needed), but is reliant on you getting the elusive Saudi transit visa. But chances are good by all reports, as long as you have a carnet, a Yemeni visa and are a lone male.

Please let me know how you get on, I'm planning to ship end of this year ish.

Daniel