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War-Risk Waters: What Filipino Seafarers Must Know in 2026

After strikes off Odesa and in Hormuz: IBF warlike areas, your right to refuse, double pay, DMW rules, and a safety checklist for crew and families.

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Sa madaling salita: Kapag papasok ang barko sa IBF "Warlike Operations Area" gaya ng Strait of Hormuz, Northern Black Sea o mga port ng Ukraine, may karapatan kang tumanggi. Kapag tumanggi ka, sagot ng kumpanya ang uwi mo at may dalawang buwang basic wage ka bilang kompensasyon. Kung tutuloy ka, doble ang sahod habang nasa area (minimum 5 araw) at doble ang death at disability compensation. Ayon sa DMW, bawal munang i-deploy ang Pinoy sa Northern Black Sea, at dapat igalang ng employer ang desisyon mong hindi tumuloy.

This week brought fresh reminders that merchant ships are still being hit in conflict zones. Here is what happened and what protections Filipino crew can use.

What happened this week

Odesa region: motorman killed on a Liberia-flagged ship

On 3 October 2026, a Russian strike hit a Liberian-flagged civilian cargo ship in a port in Ukraine's Odesa region. The Ukrainian Sea Ports Authority (USPA) said a motorman was killed, three crew members were injured, and 13 crew were evacuated to safety. Reuters reported the same toll and noted that Russia had effectively renewed its blockade of Ukraine's Black Sea ports since the summer. Neither the USPA nor Reuters identified the ship or the crew's nationalities.

Hormuz: Kazimah III crew taken ashore in Oman

On 1 October, UKMTO reported a tanker hit by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, causing a fire. Maritime security firm Marisks identified it as the Kuwait-flagged MT Kazimah III, operated by Kuwait Oil Tanker Company (Moneycontrol, 3 October). On 2 October, the Embassy of India in Muscat said five Indian nationals on board had been "shifted ashore safely" in Oman. No injuries were reported.

The Filipino toll in Hormuz

This is not a distant risk for Filipino crew. On 2 September, Migrant Workers Secretary Hans Leo Cacdac said two Filipino seafarers were killed when the tanker Sidr was hit by projectiles near the Strait of Hormuz. Fourteen other Filipino crew on board survived (GMA News, 2 September 2026). Cacdac also said 31 vessels carrying Filipino seafarers had been attacked while passing through Hormuz since 28 February, with 421 Filipinos on board, and that about 3,000 Filipino seafarers were still estimated to be in the Persian Gulf.

Which waters count as "warlike"?

The International Bargaining Forum (IBF) sets out war-risk areas for seafarers on IBF-covered ships. The IBF brings together the ITF unions and maritime employers in the Joint Negotiating Group. Its list agreed on 17 September 2026 (extended to 8 October 2026) includes these Warlike Operations Areas (WOA):

  • 12 nm off the mainland Yemeni coast, including all ports
  • Southern Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, including the Bab el-Mandeb Strait
  • Sea of Azov and the Strait of Kerch (north of 45°03'N)
  • Northern Black Sea region
  • All ports in Ukraine
  • Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Gulf of Oman, including all ports, terminals, anchorages and inland waterways

It also lists a Black Sea High Risk Area and Extended Risk Zones in the Gulf of Oman and off Israel and Lebanon.

The Hormuz WOA has applied since 6 March 2026 and currently runs to 8 October 2026, with extensions by mutual IBF consent. Always check the latest list.

Your rights in a Warlike Operations Area

Under IBF terms for WOAs, seafarers on IBF-covered vessels get:

  • A bonus equal to 100% of basic wage, paid for a minimum of five days and for each additional day in the area.
  • Doubled compensation for death and disability.
  • The right to refuse to sail into the area, with repatriation at the company's cost, benefits accrued until return to the port of engagement, and two months' basic wage as compensation.
  • A requirement that operators put in place security measures equivalent to ISPS Level 3.

The Black Sea High Risk Area carries the same right to refuse, with the bonus paid per day of stay. In Extended Risk Zones, the bonus and doubled compensation apply only on a day the ship is attacked, and the attack must be logged and reported.

Eagle's analysis: know which contract you're on

IBF terms apply only on IBF-covered vessels, so ask your manning agency before joining. Philippine rules (below) protect all Filipino crew, but the specific bonus and two-month figures come from the IBF framework.

Timing matters too. The ITF notes that crew already inside a WOA can request repatriation but face "significant operational difficulties." Decide when voyage orders arrive, not once you're in the Gulf.

What the Philippine government requires

  • DMW Advisory No. 11, s. 2026 (signed 8 March 2026) designated the Persian Gulf, Gulf of Oman and Strait of Hormuz as a warlike operations area. Secretary Cacdac said Filipino crew must be allowed to refuse if a ship has to enter (Philstar, 8 March 2026).
  • DMW Advisory No. 50, s. 2026 (August 2026) directs principals, shipowners and licensed manning agencies to temporarily refrain from deploying Filipino seafarers to vessels going to, transiting or calling at Northern Black Sea ports. It also orders repatriation from attacked vessels and the earliest safe disembarkation from exposed ones. Costs stay with the employer (SunStar, 9 August 2026). On 11 September, the DMW repeated the ban, citing a DFA/DND assessment of "full-scale international armed conflict," and opened a probe after four vessels carrying 82 Filipinos were attacked in the Black Sea that month (SunStar, 11 September 2026).
  • DMW Advisory No. 53, s. 2026 (28 August 2026) requires risk assessments, security measures, vessel escorts where warranted, and mandatory reporting before ships enter high-risk waters. Announcing it, Secretary Cacdac said of the right to refuse: "That right must be respected" (The Global Filipino Magazine, 3 September 2026).
  • MARINA Advisory No. 2026-08 (28 February 2026) set precautionary measures after the US–Iran conflict escalated.

Eagle's analysis: the Odesa strike and the deployment ban

Under DMW Advisory 50, Filipino crew should not be on a vessel calling at Odesa-region ports at all. Even so, the DMW found Filipinos aboard four Black Sea vessels attacked in September. If your vessel is ordered to a Ukrainian port, you are not just entitled to refuse. Philippine policy says you should not be deployed there.

FAQ

Can I be punished for refusing to sail into Hormuz? Secretary Cacdac, issuing Advisory 53, s. 2026, said the right to refuse "must be respected." On IBF vessels, refusal comes with company-paid repatriation and two months' basic wage.

How much extra do I get in a warlike area? On IBF-covered ships, a bonus equal to your basic wage, for at least five days plus each extra day in the area. Death and disability compensation is doubled.

Can Filipino seafarers work Black Sea routes to Ukraine? DMW Advisory 50, s. 2026 temporarily bars deploying Filipinos to vessels going to, transiting or calling at Northern Black Sea ports.

My ship is already in the Gulf. What now? On IBF vessels you can request repatriation. Tell your agency, but expect delays.

What can families do if a ship is attacked? Contact the licensed manning agency first. The DMW said after the Sidr attack that it coordinates with agencies, OWWA, the DFA and Migrant Workers Offices on repatriation and benefits.

What to do: checklist for crew and families

Crew

  • Before signing, ask whether the vessel is IBF/ITF-covered and what its trading area is.
  • Check voyage orders against the latest IBF risk-area list.
  • If the ship is heading into a WOA, decide early and put any refusal in writing to the master and agency.
  • If you proceed, confirm the bonus is recorded on your payslip and the days in the area are logged.
  • Know your muster station, citadel and security plan. Take part in drills.
  • Leave copies of your contract and ID with family.

Families

  • Keep the manning agency's contact details and your seafarer's vessel name and IMO number.
  • Agree on a check-in routine.
  • Get updates from official sources (DMW, agency) and avoid unverified social media posts.
  • For emotional support, ISWAN's SeafarerHelp is free and available 24/7: +44 (0)20 7323 2737.

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