The head of the European Union delegation to Yemen is visiting the country for talks with Shia Houthi rebels over a UN plan regarding a disputed key port.

Houthi officials say Ambassador Antonia Calvo Puerta arrived in Sanaa on Sunday to discuss the U.N. proposal for Hodeida port to be run by a third neutral party under UN supervision.

The Red Sea port of Hodeida, currently under Houthi control, is a vital lifeline for most of the country's population.

Yemeni officials in the internationally recognized government of President Abed Rabbou Mansour Hadi say they welcome the UN plan.

A Saudi-led coalition, backing Hadi's government and battling the Houthi rebels, has long planned to seize the port but held back over fears it would impede humanitarian aid deliveries.