The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) and the Joint Negotiating Group (JNG), as social partners of the International Bargaining Forum (IBF), have agreed to extend the designation of the Strait of Hormuz and its surrounding waters as a Warlike Operations Area (WOA) until 9 July 2026.
The decision follows a review by the IBF Warlike Operations Area Committee (WOAC), which also agreed to resume weekly assessment meetings in response to the continuing security risks and the rapidly evolving situation in the region.
The move comes after two cargo ships were struck while transiting the area—one on 25 June, prompting the launch and subsequent suspension of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) evacuation plan, and another on 27 June. Despite the heightened threat, merchant vessels continue to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
In light of the ongoing risks, the Committee has strongly urged all ships operating in the area to follow guidance issued by the IMO, the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), and regional governments coordinating maritime evacuations.
The WOAC also reaffirms its commitment to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and customary international law:
All merchant ships must be able to exercise their right to navigate the high seas, exclusive economic zones and international straits without unlawful impediment. Passage through international straits must not be suspended.
These rights apply as a matter of customary international law, irrespective of whether a given state has ratified UNCLOS.
Furthermore, the Committee recognises its duty to support a return to normal shipping patterns as rapidly as possible, given the vital role merchant shipping in the region plays in the global economy, including through the transport of fuel and fertilisers – while firmly holding that no attack on innocent seafarers or civilian shipping is ever justified.
The Committee urges all governments to maintain diplomacy and deescalate all conflict immediately.
The WOA designation ensures that seafarers on IBF-covered vessels receive enhanced protections and compensation if they are stranded or operating in the area.
Seafarers already within the designated area are entitled to additional compensation and to request repatriation, noting the current, significant operational difficulties, while those instructed to enter it have the right to refuse to sail and request repatriation at the company’s expense.
Under the terms agreed by the IBF parties, seafarers serving on IBF vessels within or entering the designated WOA will be entitled to the following protections:
A bonus equal to 100% of basic wage, payable for a minimum of five days, and for each additional day a vessel remains in the area.
Doubled compensation for death and disability arising from incidents in the area.
The right for seafarers to refuse to sail into the area, with repatriation at the company’s cost and compensation equal to two months’ basic wage.
A recommendation for ship operators to implement enhanced security arrangements equivalent to ISPS Level 3.
These provisions reflect the standard protections applied to seafarers transiting Warlike Operations Areas under IBF agreements.