The International Transport Workers\u2019 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.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
The move comes after two cargo ships were struck while transiting the area\u2014one on 25 June, prompting the launch and subsequent suspension<\/a> of the International Maritime Organization\u2019s (IMO) evacuation plan, and another on 27 June. Despite the heightened threat, merchant vessels continue to transit the Strait of Hormuz.<\/p>\n 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.\u00a0<\/p>\n The WOAC also reaffirms its commitment to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and customary international law:<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n These rights apply as a matter of customary international law, irrespective of whether a given state has ratified UNCLOS.\u00a0<\/p>\n 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,<\/a> including through the transport of fuel and fertilisers \u2013 while firmly holding that no attack on innocent seafarers or civilian shipping is ever justified.<\/a><\/p>\n The Committee urges all governments to maintain diplomacy and deescalate all conflict immediately.\u00a0<\/p>\n The WOA designation ensures that seafarers on IBF-covered vessels receive enhanced protections and compensation if they are stranded or operating in the area.<\/p>\n