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The Maritime Industry Authority directed all Philippine-registered ships operating overseas to strictly implement precautionary measures in view of escalating hostilities in the Middle East
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There are currently 100 Philippine-registered vessels operating overseas, with five operating in armed conflict areas
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In MARINA Advisory No. 2026-08, shipping companies were ordered to maintain situational awareness and monitoring, safe navigation, communication and reporting, security measures on board, and crew welfare and safety
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The status of affected Filipino seafarers is being monitored by the Department of Migrant Workers and the Department of Foreign Affairs
The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) has directed all Philippine-registered ships operating overseas to strictly implement precautionary measures in view of escalating hostilities in the Middle East.
MARINA in a statement said it has conducted an assessment of the Philippine-registered overseas fleet (PROF), with particular attention to vessels operating within or transiting through areas of geopolitical concern.
There are currently 100 Philippine-registered vessels operating overseas, with five operating in armed conflict areas.
MARINA Advisory (MA) No. 2026-08 dated February 28 directs shipping companies to strictly implement precautionary security measures in accordance with guidance from relevant international maritime authorities.
These include measures in situational awareness and monitoring, safe navigation, communication and reporting, security measures on board, and crew welfare and safety.
Some of the measures include continuous monitoring of maritime security advisories and warnings issued by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, and relevant flag state authorities; close and continuous watch of the vessel’s automatic identification system and global maritime distress safety systems at all times; implement heightened security protocols in accordance with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Code; and Ensure that all Filipino seafarers on board are properly accounted for and their welfare is prioritized throughout the duration of the conflict.
MARINA said it is closely monitoring the situation and urges shipping companies to remain vigilant and exercise caution. Philippine-registered ships are advised to avoid transiting the affected areas.
The status of affected Filipino seafarers, meanwhile, is being monitored by the Department of Migrant Workers and the Department of Foreign Affairs.
“MARINA remains vigilant and ready to take further necessary measures to safeguard Philippine-registered vessels and Filipino seafarers,” the authority said.
IMO secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez in an earlier statement also said he is closely monitoring developments and urged shipping companies to exercise maximum caution, advising vessels to avoid transiting the affected region where possible until conditions improve.
He also voiced deep concern over escalating security incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, following reports of attacks on merchant vessels that left at least one seafarer dead and several others injured.
The strait, which links major Gulf producers including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, accounts for roughly a quarter of the world’s seaborne oil trade.
Any sustained disruption could trigger a spike in global oil prices and destabilize energy markets.
The world’s biggest cargo shipping companies – MSC, A.P. Moller-Maersk, CMA CGM, COSCO, and Hapag-Lloyd – have suspended vessel transits to and from the Middle East, with all of them noting the prioritization of crew and vessel safety.
READ: Major shipping lines suspend transits to/from Middle East
On the aviation side, several airspaces have been closed while several air carriers with operations to and from the Middle East have suspended flights.
