THE International Bargaining Forum (IBF), a that negotiates seafarer wages and working conditions, has deemed Red Sea and Gulf of Aden to be 'warlike' and called on carriers to avoid transits through these troubled waters, reported New York's Journal of Commerce.
The union statement came after the deaths of three crew members from the bulk carrier True Confidence, which was struck by a Houthi missile.
'Ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are Houthi missile targets, putting seafarers' lives in grave danger,' the IBF said.
'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,' said the statement.
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 have continued.
Of the major container 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 case-by-case basis,' the carrier said in a February 28 statement.
'The situation is being closely assessed for each vessel before each transit, routing choices therefore cannot be anticipated or communicated,' CMA CGM said. 'Otherwise, all other vessels are rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope.'
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The union statement came after the deaths of three crew members from the bulk carrier True Confidence, which was struck by a Houthi missile.
'Ships transiting the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden are Houthi missile targets, putting seafarers' lives in grave danger,' the IBF said.
'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,' said the statement.
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 have continued.
Of the major container 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 case-by-case basis,' the carrier said in a February 28 statement.
'The situation is being closely assessed for each vessel before each transit, routing choices therefore cannot be anticipated or communicated,' CMA CGM said. 'Otherwise, all other vessels are rerouted via the Cape of Good Hope.'
SeaNews Turkey