Vessels visiting areas where there is a risk to safety or life.
Warlike Operations and High-Risk areas are parts of the world where seafarers face serious and immediate threats to their lives, safety and security due to war, military tensions, hostilities, piracy or other circumstances that are causing immediate danger to visiting vessels and their crews.
For seafarers on vessels covered by IBF and TCC agreements, you are entitled to be informed at the time of assignment if the vessel is bound for or may enter any Warlike Operations or High-Risk area. If this information becomes known at sea, you are entitled to be informed immediately.
Entitlements will vary depending on the area.
Warlike Operations Area
A Warlike Operations Area is the highest risk level.
If a vessel enters a Warlike Operations Area:
- You have the right not to proceed to such an area and are entitled to repatriation at the company’s cost and compensation equal to two month’s basic wage.
- You have the right to accept or decline an assignment in a Warlike Operations Area without risking losing your employment or suffering any other detrimental effects.
- You are entitled to be paid a bonus equal to 100% of the daily basic wage for the duration of the ship’s stay – subject to a minimum of five days’ pay.
- You are entitled to double compensation for disability and death.
High-Risk Area
A High-Risk Area is the next highest risk level.
If a vessel enters a High-Risk Area:
- All benefits are the same as in a Warlike Operations Area, except the bonus is only payable for the actual duration of the stay/transit in the area.
Extended Risk Area
An Extended Risk Area is the lowest risk level.
If a vessel enters an Extended Risk Area:
- You are entitled to a bonus equal to basic wage, payable only on the day the vessel is attacked.
- You are entitled to doubled compensations for death and disability if it occurs on the day the vessel is attacked.
- There is no right to refuse sailing in this area.
- There is also employment protection if you become captive as a result of piracy/hijacking inside or outside the IBF/ITF designated areas.
For vessels covered by an IBF agreement, the areas are designated by the IBF. See the related resources below to view the latest information on IBF designated areas.
For vessels covered by TCC agreements, the areas are designated by the ITF. See the related resources below to view the latest information on non-IBF designated areas.
Any such designations by the ITF and IBF are required to be annexed to the CBA and made available on board each vessel in order to be accessible to the crew.
Any changes/additions to the present areas that the IBF may agree, or the ITF may adopt from time to time, will be updated on this page.
