The UK Warlike Operations Area Committee (WOAC) has established recommendations for ships in the eastern Mediterranean, due to the ongoing conflict in the Levant.
The recommendations apply to vessels transiting the following areas:
- Israel, including all coastal waters up to 12 nautical miles offshore and all port facilities/terminals within areas controlled by the relevant port authorities
- Lebanon, including all coastal waters up to 12 nautical miles offshore and all port facilities/terminals within areas controlled by the relevant port authorities
Operators of such vessels should allow any seafarers who choose not to proceed to these areas either not to join the ship, or to leave the ship at a preceding port.
Remaining crew members should also be paid at twice their normal rate for each day during which the ship is within the warlike operations area (in addition to all other remuneration earned).
The existing NMB compensation levels should be doubled in case of the death or detention of any seafarer working on a vessel in the area. Companies should also agree to underwrite any personal life assurance policies of seafarers that might become invalidated as a result of their service in the Warlike Operations Area.
These recommendations are due to be reviewed by the WOAC on 18 November.
The WOAC consists of Nautilus International, the RMT union and the UK Chamber of Shipping. This independent body provides a forum for shipping companies and seafarer unions to consider threat levels and monitor 'warlike activities' and determine whether war risk service clauses in collective agreements should be invoked.
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