The Philippines is preparing to restrict the deployment of Filipino seafarers to designated high-risk areas in the Middle East following a series of attacks and casualties involving Filipino crew in the Strait of Hormuz.
The Department of Migrant Workers (DMW) is investigating shipowners and Philippine manning agencies linked to five vessels carrying Filipino seafarers that were attacked or exposed to heightened security risks in the Strait of Hormuz and thMigrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said the investigation will determine whether the companies involved complied with DMW regulations governing the deployment of Filipino seafarers to high-risk and war-like areas.
“We are investigating all five situations and their respective manning agencies and ship owners,” Cacdac said during a press briefing.
Fatal Strait of Hormuz attack
The investigation follows the 31 August attack on the Saudi-flagged crude oil tanker MT Sidr in the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel was carrying 16 Filipino seafarers, two of whom were killed in the attack.
The remaining 14 crew members were expected to return to the Philippines after receiving assistance from Philippine officials in Oman and the United Arab Emirates. The remains of the two fatalities have been transported to northern Oman, with repatriation arrangements still being finalised.
The incident has prompted the Philippine government to review whether Filipino seafarers should continue to be deployed aboard vessels transiting the strategic waterway.
Cacdac said the DMW is awaiting security assessments from the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and Department of National Defense (DND) before determining its next steps for the Strait of Hormuz.
Black Sea vessels also under investigation
The DMW’s investigation also covers several vessels involved in recent incidents in the northern Black Sea. The MV Gingo, carrying 26 Filipino seafarers, came under attack while berthed in Odesa, Ukraine, with part of the vessel’s deck catching fire. The crew evacuated safely and arrangements are being made for their repatriation.
The MV Nostos, carrying 23 Filipino seafarers, was also attacked in the northern Black Sea but managed to reach a safer port off Türkiye. Its crew is expected to be repatriated.
The MT Siren, carrying 21 Filipino seafarers, was attacked on 4 September and has since reached a safe port, with arrangements underway for the crew’s evacuation. The MV Chara, carrying 12 Filipino seafarers, was sailing from Türkiye to Bulgaria, where the crew is expected to be evacuated.
According to Cacdac, all four vessels involved in the northern Black Sea incidents have now reached safe ports, and no injuries have been reported.
Manila steps up compliance checks
Meanwhile, the DMW is examining whether shipowners and licensed manning agencies complied with regulations requiring safe transit arrangements and the avoidance of high-risk and war-like areas.
Cacdac said he would travel to Dubai to meet with the shipowner of one of the vessels as part of the investigation. The rules require companies to conduct risk assessments before vessels sail into potentially dangerous areas. Where necessary, operators must also provide appropriate security measures, including military support or armed guards.
Crucially, Filipino seafarers must be allowed to exercise their right to refuse to sail into areas where the risks cannot be adequately mitigated.
Sanctions possible for non-compliance
The DMW has already instructed accredited shipowners and licensed manning agencies not to deploy Filipino seafarers aboard vessels bound for the northern Black Sea, which the Philippine government classifies as a high-risk, war-like area.
The designation is based on security assessments by the DFA and DND, which have characterised the northern Black Sea as an area of full-scale international armed conflict.
The department will determine whether any of the manning agencies involved in the recent incidents breached the deployment restrictions. Potential penalties include the suspension of a manning agency’s licence and financial fines, although the final sanctions will depend on the outcome of the investigation and subsequent adjudication.
Strait of Hormuz decision pending
The more immediate concern for the global maritime industry is whether similar restrictions will be extended to the Strait of Hormuz. Cacdac said the DMW is awaiting updated security assessments from the DFA and DND before deciding whether Filipino seafarers should continue to be deployed on vessels transiting the strategic waterway.
Any such decision could have significant implications for shipowners and manning agencies, given the Philippines’ crucial role in supplying seafarers to the global merchant fleet.
The review highlights the growing challenge facing shipping companies operating in conflict-affected waters: balancing the need to maintain essential trade routes with increasingly stringent requirements to protect the safety and rights of seafarers.e Black Sea.
Source: Safety4sea
Robban Assafina is now on WhatsApp channel. Click Here
