Shipping business urged to avoid Red Sea maritime routes

The move aims to ensure the safety of Vietnamese workers on transport ships after one Vietnamese among three people killed in missile attacks by Yemen's Houthi forces on the Barbados-flagged bulk carrier True Confidence in the Gulf of Aden on March 6.

The department said that tensions in the Middle East have recently increased, especially in waters near the Red Sea. Among them, there were incidents that have affected the health and lives of Vietnamese sailors.

To ensure security and safety for Vietnamese workers working on international transport ships, the department urged businesses to promptly work with their partners and ship owners who have Vietnamese workers on the risk of insecure and unsafe working conditions and keep them informed of the situation so workers can reconsider about working on transport ships passing through these maritime routes.

In particular, the department requested the businesses to stay away from maritime routes near the Middle East - Africa region at the present time, or temporarily stop until the security and safety is guaranteed, as well as regularly monitoring the situation of Vietnamese workers working on foreign transport ships./.