Container Shipping Quarterly

Special Report

The IBF widened its “ warlike operations area ” to the southern Red Sea following the deaths of three bulk carrier crew members . Derek Gordon / Shutterstock . com

Seafarer unions declare Red Sea , Gulf of Aden ‘ warlike ’ no-go areas

By Greg Knowler

International seafarers ’ unions have designated the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden as “ warlike ” areas and called on all carriers to avoid transiting the increasingly volatile waters .

The decision was made in mid-March at a meeting of the International Bargaining Forum ( IBF ), a group set up to negotiate seafarer wages and conditions of employment . It came after the deaths of three crew members from the bulk carrier True Confidence , which was struck by a Houthi missile on March 7 .

“ Ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are Houthi missile targets , putting seafarers ’ lives in grave danger ,” the IBF said in a March 19 statement . “ We strongly urge charterers , operators and shipowners to avoid passage through the area until there is no risk to the safety of seafarers from further attacks .”

The IBF wants all vessels diverted away from the questionable areas and has urged all employers and union affiliates to lobby their respective governments to intervene and act in the safety of seafarers .

Container lines have been rerouting vessels around southern Africa since attacks by Houthi militants operating from Yemen picked up late last year . Despite a multinational naval force patrolling the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden , the attacks against commercial shipping carriers have continued .

Of the major carriers , only CMA CGM has indicated its willingness to send vessels through the volatile waterway .

“ The CMA CGM Group has reevaluated the situation in the Southern Area of the Red Sea and the evolving conditions allow us to resume transit on [ a ] case-by-case basis ,” the carrier said in a Feb . 28 statement .

“ The situation is being closely assessed for each vessel before each transit , routing choices therefore cannot be anticipated or communicated ,” the liner added . “ Otherwise , all other vessels are rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope .”

‘ Warlike ’ area extended

The IBF “ warlike operations area ” previously extended 12 nautical miles off the mainland Yemeni coast when the area was designated “ high risk .” Following the seafarer deaths , the warlike area has been widened to cover the southern section of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden stretching across to the Eritrea coast .

The area encompasses the Bab El Mandeb Strait and includes the Maritime Security Transit Corridor within the Gulf of Aden , where the US-led coalition and a maritime operation by the EU have had limited success in preventing attacks , according to shipping association BIMCO .

Safety at sea in the area is being threatened on two fronts , with a resurgence in Somali piracy since December . Two bulk carriers and several fishing vessels have been hijacked , though the Indian Navy has recovered one of the bulkers .

“ Despite efforts to improve safety , both [ the Houthis and Somali pirates ] remain active , and the Houthis have threatened to expand their attacks to ships in the Indian Ocean ,” BIMCO shipping analyst Filipe Gouveia noted in a weekly report released March 19 .

“ Unless safety in the area improves significantly , ships cannot return to their normal routes ,” he added .

email : greg . knowler @ spglobal . com

20 Journal of Commerce | April 8 , 2024 www . joc . com