Merchant seafarers stranded on Dutch vessels in the Middle East will now receive hazard pay equal to double their salaries, a significant development facilitated by Nautilus International. Previously, shipowners in the Netherlands had resisted classifying the Persian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz, and the Gulf of Oman as ‘War Zones.’ Instead, they had designated these areas as ‘Dangerous Passage Areas,’ which meant that seafarers could not be forced to navigate there.
This designation, however, did little to assist those already trapped in the region due to the sudden outbreak of conflict and the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Nautilus had been advocating for a reclassification to ‘War Zones,’ which would entitle seafarers to double hazard pay as outlined in the collective agreements with shipowners.
After more than a week of negotiations, the threat of legal action from Nautilus prompted a change in stance from the Dutch shipowners, who have now agreed to the War Zones designation and the corresponding pay increase for the stranded seafarers.
Nautilus executive officer Richard Moti expressed relief at this decision, stating, “Our seafarers are facing harsh circumstances at this moment. This should be recognized by the shipping companies. We are glad that we finally have an agreement that seafarers deserve a higher wage if they are working under these circumstances.”
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