From time immemorial, the coast cities had dominated the South, commercially and otherwise. But now with the ports closed and many of the port cities captured or besieged, the South's salvation depended upon itself.
But if the hunger pains have yet to strike, you can simply watch the local fisherman at work in the nearby port or stop for a moment to enjoy the picturesque views over the harbour.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting Houthi rebels in Yemen is due to allow renewed humanitarian access to the country's main port airport, and sea port today.
Near the Port of Los Angeles, the largest seaport in the United States, there are cargo ships floating off the coast with hundreds of thousands of shipping containers waiting to be unloaded.