The International Bargaining Forum (IBF) social partners
are increasingly concerned about the actions taken by Houthi forces that are
threatening the safety of transiting seafarers and vessels.
Following continued
incidents in the Southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, the IBF Warlike Operations Area Committee
(WOAC) convened on 7 February 2024 and agreed additional measures to support
seafarers’ safety and welfare.
Since the previous
joint statement, sadly the conflict in the region has escalated, with further
attacks on commercial vessels that are increasingly more sophisticated. In
response to these attacks, the IBF WOAC have agreed to expand the High Risk
Area to include the Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters, please see the latest updated IBF list of designated risk areas for more detailed information. Additionally,
the IBF WOAC agreed to include into the existing conditions for the designated
IBF High Risk Area for the Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, the seafarers’ right to refuse to sail into
the area with repatriation at company’s cost and compensation equal to two
months basic wage.
The two months basic
pay compensation shall not be applicable if the seafarer is transferred to
another vessel belonging or related to the same owner/manager, on the same rank
and wages and all other terms. There shall be no loss of earnings or
entitlements during the transfer and the company shall be liable for all costs
and subsistence during the transfer. The
decision to include seafarers’ right to refuse to sail was not a step taken
lightly as this could negatively impact global trade, but the safety of the
seafarers is paramount.
Collaboration between
local and international governments, flag states, ports and airports will be
crucial for seafarers to be repatriated safely and expeditiously, should they
request it. Seafarers must give seven days’ notice prior to entering the area,
given the logistical constraints of passage and the difficulty to facilitate
disembarkation in a safe port and mobilise repatriation in the area.
Seafarers who are
onboard vessels within the High Risk Area or are due to transit into the High
Risk Area within the seven-day window from the initial date of publication,
will not be able to exercise their right to repatriation. In the event
that a vessel which was not scheduled to sail through the High Risk Area but
has received instructions to cross within the seven-day notice period,
seafarers will have the right to refuse to sail in the area, be repatriated at
the company’s cost and receive compensation equal to two months basic pay.
Regardless of what is agreed between the social
partners, the safety and security of seafarers is a global responsibility that
requires global solutions. Therefore, the IBF WOAC urges the international community to
collaborate with local governments in the area to support international
shipping and to ensure the safety of seafarers so that vessels can transit free
from threat and aggression, as is their right under international law.
In addition, the IBF WOAC strongly condemns the
actions of the Houthi forces that hijacked the car carrier Galaxy Leader on 19
November 2023, the crew of which are still being held hostage. The social partners urge all governments that have
an interest in international shipping to do whatever they can to secure the
immediate release of the Galaxy Leader and its crew, and for the Houthis to
immediately cease further hostile activities.