DMW-ADVISORY-15-2026 — Amended list of the International Bargaining Forum (IBF) Warlike and High-Risk Areas
IBF LIST of designated risk areas, with applicable benefits (As agreed by the Warlike Operations Area Committee on the 19th of March 2026 and extended until 25th of May 2026) 1. IBF Warlike Operations Area – 12 nm. off the mainland Yemeni Coast, including all ports and excluding the Maritime Security Transit Corridor (MSTC) in its entirety – Charts 1 and 2. x Bonus equal to basic wage, payable for 5 days minimum + per day if longer; x Doubled compensation for death and disability; x Right to refuse sailing into the area, with repatriation at company’s cost and compensation equal to 2 month’s basic wage x Mandatory requirement for ship operators to implement enhanced security arrangements equivalent to ISPS Level 3 2. IBF Warlike Operations Area – Southern Section of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, boundary commencing from the Yemeni coast border, stretching across to the Eritrea coast. Area encompassing the Bab El Mandeb Strait including the Maritime Security Transit Corridor (MSTC) in its entirety and the Gulf of Aden– Charts 1 and 2 x Bonus equal to basic wage, payable for 5 days minimum + per day if longer; x Doubled compensation for death and disability; x Right to refuse sailing into the area, with repatriation at company’s cost and compensation equal to 2 month’s basic wage x Mandatory requirement for ship operators to implement enhanced security arrangements equivalent to ISPS Level 3 3. IBF Extended Risk Zone – Gulf of Guinea, from the Liberia/Ivory Coast border to 00°N 005°E, to the Angola/Namibia border – Chart 3 x Bonus equal to basic wage, payable only on the day the vessel is attacked; x Doubled compensations for death and disability if they occur on the day the vessel is attacked x Increased BMP level 4. IBF Warlike Operations Area – Sea of Azov and the Strait of Kerch, north of latitude 45° 03’ 00’N – Chart 4 x Bonus equal to basic wage, payable for 5 days minimum + per day if longer; x Doubled compensation for death and disability; x Right to refuse sailing into the area, with repatriation at company’s cost and compensation equal to 2 month’s basic wage x Mandatory requirement for ship operators to implement enhanced security arrangements equivalent to ISPS Level 3 5. IBF Warlike Operations Area – Northern Black Sea Region – Chart 4 (see the Details section for the coordinates) x Bonus equal to basic wage, payable for 5 days minimum + per day if longer; x Doubled compensation for death and disability; x Right to refuse sailing into the area, with repatriation at company’s cost and compensation equal to 2 month’s basic wage x Mandatory requirement for ship operators to implement enhanced security arrangements equivalent to ISPS Level 3 1
6. IBF Warlike Operations Area – all ports in Ukraine x Bonus equal to basic wage, payable for 5 days minimum + per day if longer; x Doubled compensation for death and disability; x Right to refuse sailing into the area, with repatriation at company’s cost and compensation equal to 2 month’s basic wage x Mandatory requirement for ship operators to implement enhanced security arrangements equivalent to ISPS Level 3 7. IBF High Risk Area – Black Sea – Chart 4 (see the Details section for the coordinates) x Bonus equal to basic wage, payable for the actual duration of stay / transit; x Doubled compensation for death and disability; x Right to refuse sailing into the area, with repatriation at company’s cost and compensation equal to 2 month’s basic wage x Mandatory requirement for ship operators to implement enhanced security arrangements equivalent to ISPS Level 3 8. IBF Warlike Operations Area – Persian Gulf, Straits of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman - Chart 5 (see the details section for the area coordinates) x Bonus equal to basic wage, payable for 5 days minimum + per day if longer; x Doubled compensation for death and disability; x Right to refuse sailing into the area, with repatriation at company’s cost and compensation equal to 2 month’s basic wage x Mandatory requirement for ship operators to implement enhanced security arrangements equivalent to ISPS Level 3 9. IBF Extended Risk Zone – Gulf of Oman Chart 5 - The area is defined from Ra’s al Hadd light on a bearing of 035 degrees to reach the limiting latitude of 24° 00’N x Bonus equal to basic wage, payable only on the day the vessel is attacked; x Doubled compensations for death and disability if they occur on the day the vessel is attacked x Increased BMP level 10. IBF Extended Risk Zone – Chart 6 – 12NM off Israel coastline x Bonus equal to basic wage, payable only on the day the vessel is attacked; x Doubled compensations for death and disability if they occur on the day the vessel is attacked x Increased BMP level 2
Chart 1: IBF Warlike Operations Area (WOA) – Southern Red Sea 3
Chart 2: IBF Warlike Operations Area (WOA) - Gulf of Aden and Approaches 4
Chart 3: Extended Risk Zone (ERZ) - Gulf of Guinea Extended Risk Zone, Gulf of Guinea 5
Chart 4: x IBF Warlike Operations Area (WOA) – Sea of Azov and the Strait of Kerch; x IBF Warlike Operations Area (WOA) – Northern Black Sea Region; x IBF High Risk Area (HRA) – Black Sea Warlike Operations Area High Risk Area 6
Chart 5: x IBF Warlike Operations Area (WOA) – Persian Gulf, Straits of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman x IBF Extended Risk Zone (ERZ) – Gulf of Oman 7
Chart 6: x IBF Extended Risk Zone (ERZ) – 12NM off Israel coastline 8
DESIGNATION 1. IBF Warlike Operations Area – 12 n.m. off Yemeni mainland Coast x This Warlike Operations Area includes Yemeni territorial waters extending up to the 12 nautical miles limit from the border of Yemen with Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea and the border of Yemen and Oman in the Gulf of Aden, with the exclusion of the Maritime Security Transit Corridor (MSTC) in the Red Sea where the lanes of this safe passage corridor overlap with this Warlike Area. x This Warlike Area applies to all vessels, whether underway or not, including all vessels at anchor and berthed “all fast” within the Area. During a vessel’s transit of this Area, the protection of seafarers through the ISPS Level 3 measure shall be adopted, which may include the provision of personnel or systems which appropriately reduce the vulnerability of a vessel. The sufficiency of such extra security measures should be determined depending on vessel type, size, freeboard during transit and speed, with consulting and seeking advice of respective ITF union(s) where necessary. During the period of transit/stay within this Warlike Area, seafarers shall be entitled to compensation amounting to 100% of the basic wage and a doubled compensation payable in case of death and disability. This entitlement should be payable for a minimum of 5 days upon the entry into the Area and further for each day of the vessel’s actual stay in the Area. In the case of vessels transiting the IBF Warlike Area, seafarers have the right not to proceed with the passage. In such an event, the seafarer concerned shall be repatriated at the company’s cost with benefits accrued until date of return to the port of engagement and with the payment of 2 months’ basic wage as compensation. This designation is in force from 0001Z on 1 March 2018 to the 25th of May 2026, with further extensions being subject to mutual consent between the IBF parties. DESIGNATION 2. IBF Warlike Operations Area – Southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden x Boundary commencing from the Saudi Arabia Border at 16°24.12 N and running due West until the Eritrea coastline. x This area stretches south of this boundary encompassing the Bab el Mandeb Strait and continues into the Gulf of Aden. x The Eastern boundary line of the area commences from the Yemen-Oman border South to co-ordinates 13o 25.0” N, 053o 00.0’ E, the boundary line continues SW from this point to intersect with the Gees Gwardafuy beacon. x The Warlike Area includes the Maritime Security Transit Corridor (MSTC), please see Chart 2 for further details. x The coast of Djibouti and Somalia are also included within this warlike area.. During a vessel’s transit of this Area, the protection of seafarers through the ISPS Level 3 measure shall be adopted, which may include the provision of personnel or systems which appropriately reduce the vulnerability of a vessel. The sufficiency of such extra security measures should be determined depending on vessel type, size, freeboard during transit and speed, with consulting and seeking advice of respective ITF union(s) where necessary. During the period of transit/stay within this Warlike Area, seafarers shall be entitled to compensation amounting to 9
100% of the basic wage and a doubled compensation payable in case of death and disability. This entitlement should be payable for a minimum of 5 days upon the entry into the Area and further for each day of the vessel’s actual stay in the Area. In the case of vessels transiting the IBF Warlike Area, seafarers have the right not to proceed with the passage. In such an event, the seafarer concerned shall be repatriated at the company’s cost with benefits accrued until date of return to the port of engagement and with the payment of 2 months’ basic wage as compensation. This designation shall be in effect from 19th March 2024 to 25th of May 2026 with further extensions being subject to mutual consent between the IBF parties. DESIGNATION 3. IBF Extended Risk Zone – Gulf of Guinea including all ports, terminals and road anchorages and inland waterways. x The coordinates of this area run in a direct line from the Liberia/Ivory Coast border to 00°N 005°E, to the Angola/Namibia border. During a vessel’s transit of this area, protection of seafarers through the provision of increased security measures should be adopted. Such measures must be above the latest Best Management Practice (BMP West Africa) level and may include the provision of personnel or systems which appropriately reduce the vulnerability of a vessel. The sufficiency of such extra security measures should be determined depending on vessel type, size, freeboard during transit and speed, with consulting and seeking advice of respective ITF union(s) where necessary. During the period of transit of the Extended Risk Zone, each seafarer shall be entitled to a bonus equal to 100% of the basic wage and a doubled compensation in case of injury or death on any day during which the vessel they are serving on is attacked. The proof of these entitlements shall be subject to a confirmed entry into the ship’s logbook and a report of attack being lodged with recognised international reporting authorities, such as MDAT-GoG. The maximum period when these entitlements may apply shall not exceed the number of days of the vessel’s transit of the IBF Extended Risk Zone. For the purpose of this article an attack means any unauthorised and obvious action taken by a third party in a willful attempt to board or damage the vessel or to harm the crew which leads to the activation of the relevant vessel contingency plans including the alerting of the whole crew. Individual random attempts (whether successful or not) of unarmed boarding for the purpose of unauthorized sale, begging, minor stealth and etc. leading to no harm/damage to the crew and posing no threat to seafarers’ lives, health and safety shall not count as ‘attacks’ for the purpose of this article. A vessel will not be considered to be in the Extended Risk Zone, once berthed “all fast” within the area. This designation is in force from 0001Z on 1st January 2023. 10
DESIGNATION 4: IBF Warlike Operations Area – Sea of Azov and the Strait of Kerch, north of latitude 45° 03’ 00’N x This Area includes all waters and ports of the Sea of Azov and the Strait of Kerch north of latitude 45° 03’ 00’N. During a vessel’s transit of this Area, the protection of seafarers through the ISPS Level 3 measure shall be adopted, which may include the provision of personnel or systems which appropriately reduce the vulnerability of a vessel. The sufficiency of such extra security measures should be determined depending on vessel type, size, freeboard during transit and speed, with consulting and seeking advice of respective ITF union(s) where necessary. During the period of transit/stay within this Warlike Area, seafarers shall be entitled to compensation amounting to 100% of the basic wage and a doubled compensation payable in case of death and disability. This entitlement should be payable for a minimum of 5 days upon the entry into the Area and further for each day of the vessel’s actual stay in the Area. In the case of vessels transiting the IBF Warlike Area, seafarers have the right not to proceed with the passage. In such an event, the seafarer concerned shall be repatriated at the company’s cost with benefits accrued until date of return to the port of engagement and with the payment of 2 months’ basic wage as compensation. This designation shall be in effect from 1st November 2023 to 25th of May with further extensions being subject to mutual consent between the IBF parties. DESIGNATION 5: IBF Warlike Operations Area - Northern Black Sea Region x This Warlike Operations Area runs from the Ukrainian/Romanian border to position 45° 10’N 031° 00’E and to position 45° 21’N 032° 30’E. The entitlements are the same as those listed in Designation 3 above (Warlike Operations Area – Sea of Azov and the Straits of Kerch, north of latitude 45° 03’ 00’N) This designation has been in effect from 1st March 2022 and shall continue until 25th of May with further extensions remaining subject to mutual consent between the IBF parties. DESIGNATION 6: IBF Warlike Operations Area – All ports in Ukraine x This Warlike Area applies to all vessels, whether underway or not, including all vessels at anchor and berthed “all fast” within the Area. The entitlements are the same as those in Designations 3 and 4 above. This designation has been in effect from 1st March 2022 and shall continue until 25th of May 2026 with further extensions remaining subject to mutual consent between the IBF parties. 11
DESIGNATION 7: IBF High Risk Area – Black Sea In the north, this High Risk Area borders with: x the Warlike Operations Area in the northern Black Sea region (Designation 4) on the line from the Ukrainian/Romanian border to position 45° 10’N 031° 00’E and to position 45° 21’N 032° 30’E; x the Crimean Peninsula coastline; x the Warlike Operations Area in the Sea of Azov and the Straits of Kerch (Designation 3) limited by latitude 45° 03’ 00’N x In the south, this High Risk Area is limited by the line running from Point 1 – 43° 25’ 01’N 39° 55’ 00’E to Point 2 – 44° 04’ 00’N 31° 24’ 00’E, to Point 3 – 44° 44’ 00’N 31° 11’ 00’E and to Point 4 – 45° 12’ 00’N 29° 41’ 00’E. During a vessel’s transit of this Area, the protection of seafarers through the ISPS Level 3 measure shall be adopted, which may include the provision of personnel or systems which appropriately reduce the vulnerability of a vessel. The sufficiency of such extra security measures should be determined depending on vessel type, size, freeboard during transit and speed, with consulting and seeking advice of respective ITF union(s) where necessary. During the period of transit/stay within this High Risk Area, seafarers shall be entitled to compensation amounting to 100% of the basic wage and a doubled compensation payable in case of death and disability. This entitlement should apply on each day of the vessel’s stay in the High-Risk Area. In the case of vessels transiting the IBF High Risk Area, seafarers have the right not to proceed with the passage. In such an event, the seafarer concerned shall be repatriated at the company’s cost with benefits accrued until date of return to the port of engagement and with the payment of 2 months’ basic wage as compensation. This designation shall be in effect from 1st November 2023 to 25th of May 2026 with further extensions being subject to mutual consent between the IBF parties. DESIGNATION 8: IBF Warlike Operations Area – Persian Gulf, Straits of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman x The area is defined from position 24° 00’N 057° 06’E Easterly along the 24° 00’N latitude line to position 24° 00’N, 060° 58’E. Taking a Bearing of 035° from Ra’s al Hadd light (from 24° 00’N, 060° 58’E) to position 24° 52’30”N 061° 39’.00”E then North to meet the Pakistan boarder at position 25°10’30”N 061°39’E. x All navigable water West of this line is designated as a Warlike Operations Area. x Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman includes all ports, terminals, road anchorages and inland waterways. x This Warlike Operations Area applies to all vessels, whether underway or not, including all vessels at anchor and berthed “all fast” within the Area. During a vessel’s transit of this Area, the protection of seafarers through the ISPS Level 3 measure shall be adopted, which may include the provision of personnel or systems which appropriately reduce the vulnerability of a vessel. The sufficiency of such extra security measures should be determined depending on vessel type, size, freeboard during transit and speed, with consulting and seeking advice of respective ITF union(s) where necessary. 12
During the period of transit/stay within this Warlike Area, seafarers shall be entitled to compensation amounting to 100% of the basic wage and a doubled compensation payable in case of death and disability. This entitlement should be payable for a minimum of 5 days upon the entry into the area and further for each day of the vessel’s actual stay in the area. In the case of vessels transiting the IBF Warlike Area, seafarers have the right not to proceed with the passage. In such an event, the seafarer concerned shall be repatriated at the company’s cost with benefits accrued until date of return to the port of engagement and with the payment of 2 months’ basic wage as compensation. This designation shall be in effect from 0001Z 6th March 2026 to 0001Z 30th of March 2026 with further extensions being subject to mutual consent between the IBF parties. DESIGNATION 9: IBF Extended Risk Zone – Gulf of Oman x The northern limit of this area is defined from position 24° 00’N 057° 06’E Easterly along the 24° 00’N latitude line to position 24°00’N 060° 58’E x Then from Ra’s al Hadd light on a bearing of 035° degrees to intercept the limiting latitude of 24° 00’N at position 24°00’N 060° 58’E During a vessel’s transit of this area, protection of seafarers through the provision of increased security measures should be adopted. Such measures must be above the latest Best Management Practices for Maritime Security (BMP 5) level and may include the provision of personnel or systems which appropriately reduce the vulnerability of a vessel. The sufficiency of such extra security measures should be determined depending on vessel type, size, freeboard during transit and speed, with consulting and seeking advice of respective ITF union(s) where necessary. During the period of transit of the Extended Risk Zone, each seafarer shall be entitled to a bonus equal to 100% of the basic wage and a doubled compensation in case of injury or death on any day during which the vessel they are serving on is attacked. The proof of these entitlements shall be subject to a confirmed entry into the ship’s logbook and a report of attack being lodged with recognised international reporting authorities. The maximum period when these entitlements may apply shall not exceed the number of days of the vessel’s transit of the IBF Extended Risk Zone. For the purpose of this article, an attack means any hostile or unauthorised action taken by a third party involving the use of force, weaponry (including but not limited to missiles, drones, or mines), including any collateral damage or damage arising from misidentification sustained as a result of such use, or any wilful attempt to seize, board, or damage the vessel, or to harm the crew, which leads to the activation of the relevant vessel contingency plans including the alerting of the whole crew. This designation shall be in effect from 0001Z 6th March 2026 to 0001Z 30th of March 2026 with further extensions being subject to mutual consent between the IBF parties. DESIGNATION 10: IBF Extended Risk Zone – 12 Nautical miles coast of Israel 13
x The northern limit of this area is defined from position 33°06’N 034°50.6’E Easterly to position 33°06’N 035°06’E x 12 nautical miles off shore x The southern limit of this area is defined from 31°41.8’N 034°17.9’E to 31°35’41”N 034°29’27”E During a vessel’s transit of this area, protection of seafarers through the provision of increased security measures should be adopted. Such measures must be above the latest Best Management Practices for Maritime Security (BMP 5) level and may include the provision of personnel or systems which appropriately reduce the vulnerability of a vessel. The sufficiency of such extra security measures should be determined depending on vessel type, size, freeboard during transit and speed, with consulting and seeking advice of respective ITF union(s) where necessary. During the period of transit of the Extended Risk Zone, each seafarer shall be entitled to a bonus equal to 100% of the basic wage and a doubled compensation in case of injury or death on any day during which the vessel they are serving on is attacked. The proof of these entitlements shall be subject to a confirmed entry into the ship’s logbook and a report of attack being lodged with recognised international reporting authorities. The maximum period when these entitlements may apply shall not exceed the number of days of the vessel’s transit of the IBF Extended Risk Zone. For the purpose of this article, an attack means any hostile or unauthorised action taken by a third party involving the use of force, weaponry (including but not limited to missiles, drones, or mines), including any collateral damage or damage arising from misidentification sustained as a result of such use, or any wilful attempt to seize, board, or damage the vessel, or to harm the crew, which leads to the activation of the relevant vessel contingency plans including the alerting of the whole crew. This designation shall be in effect from 0001Z 13th March 2026 to 0001Z 30th of March 2026 with further extensions being subject to mutual consent between the IBF parties. 14
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