IBF Designates Red Sea and Gulf of Aden as Warlike Area

The International Bargaining Forum’s Warlike Operations Area Committee has designated the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden as ‘warlike’ following a Houthi attack on the True Confidence that resulted in the death of three crew members and critical injuries to three others. The IBF, which prioritizes the safety of seafarers, is urging charterers, operators, and shipowners to avoid passage through the area to prevent further attacks on ships transiting the region.

The IBF was established as a platform for maritime employers and seafarers’ unions to negotiate wages and conditions for seafarers on ships covered by International Transport Workers Federation agreements. The recent decision expands the warlike area to cover the previously declared high-risk area, which includes the southern section of the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and the Bab El Mandeb Strait, posing a significant threat to seafarers’ lives.

The IBF is calling for vessels to be diverted away from the Newly Established Warlike Area to ensure the safety of seafarers from Houthi missile attacks. The committee’s move to designate the region as ‘warlike’ underscores the seriousness of the situation and the need for caution when transiting through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

Source .