According to a Reuters report on February 16, a union and industry group said on Friday local time that under a new industry agreement, seafarers on board have the right to refuse to work on ships passing through the Red Sea as the situation in the sea escalates and Yemen's Houthi militants attack a growing number of passing ships.

    Since mid-November, Houthi fighters in Yemen have used drones and missiles to attack passing commercial vessels in the Red Sea in what they say is solidarity with Palestinians against Israel in the Gaza war.

    For the sake of world trade, seafarers continue to work on the front lines, and in response to this dangerous situation, an agreement has been signed to double the pay of seafarers crossing the Red Sea as hazard pay for sailing in high-risk areas to compensate for the potential risks they face in that area.

    Last December, as part of a negotiating arrangement between seafarers and commercial shipping companies, known as the International Negotiating Forum (IBF), the area at high risk of war was extended to the southern Red Sea region.

    In a statement, the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and the joint negotiating team said that under the latest IBF arrangement, seafarers who do not agree to enter high-risk areas must give seven days' notice before entering the area and have the right to be repatriated to another safe location at the shipping company's expense.

    The announcement also included compensation equivalent to two months 'base salary.

    "The decision to include seafarers' right to refuse to sail in high-risk areas was not taken lightly as it could have a negative impact on global trade, but the safety of seafarers is Paramount," the statement added.

    "Regrettably, the conflict in the region has escalated and the increasingly complex situation has raised the possibility of further attacks on commercial vessels."

    The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) is urging governments to secure the release of 25 sailors detained by Houthi militants in Yemen after they hijacked their cargo ship, the Galactic Leader, on November 19 last year.

    Yemen's Houthi militant group has vowed to continue its attacks on ships in the Red Sea as long as Israel continues to commit "crimes" against Palestinians.

    It is estimated that about 12% of global trade passes through the Red Sea each year.