IBF extends warlike status for Strait of Hormuz until July 9

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The International Bargaining Forum, together with maritime unions and employers, will keep the Strait of Hormuz designated as a warlike operations area until at least July 9, maintaining double pay and refusal and repatriation rights for seafarers under IBF labor agreements. The status applies to ships of signatory companies, around 15,000 vessels, and increases employer costs. The extension follows two vessel attacks since a US-Iran memorandum of understanding, and comes amid at least 14 seafarer deaths and over 40 ship attacks; the IMO has suspended an evacuation plan for about 11,000 seafarers stranded in the Gulf.

Seafarers covered receive double pay and can refuse Hormuz sailings.