Unions and shipping employers have said that they will continue to designate the Strait of Hormuz as a warlike operations area until at least July 9, maintaining double pay for seafarers in the area despite the fragile truce.
The status only covers ships whose companies are signatories of the International Bargaining Forum (IBF)’s labour agreements — around 15,000 vessels worldwide, according to the IBF.
Seafarers covered by the labour agreement working on ships in the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters get paid double and have the right to refuse to sail into the area and request repatriation at the company’s expense, increasing costs for shipping companies.
“This decision recognises the continuing and significant risk to life and the rapidly evolving situation in the area,” said the joint statement on Wednesday from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG), which represents the maritime industry employers.
The IBF’s decision to extend the warlike operations status comes as two vessels were attacked since a memorandum of understanding was agreed to by the US and Iran.
The two warring parties, on Wednesday, will hold indirect technical talks in Doha on their deal aimed at ending the war.
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The Strait of Hormuz was first designated a warlike operations area by the IBF on March 5, four days after the first attack on vessels attempting to cross the strait.
