Chinese Ports: Current situation amid recent regional COVID-19 outbreaks

Generally, all ports are still operating. Due to enhanced epidemic control measures, some ports are congested to different extents.

In fact, terminal staff, pilot, surveyor, etc. has to be quarantined for 14 days after a service, while needs to be arranged for international trading vessels, especially vessels considered to have high epidemic risks on board.

There is a shortage of pilots at some ports, thus vessels’ berthing and departing may be delayed.  What is more, crew shore leave is generally completely disallowed.

Vessel arrival requirements, crew change and crew medical requests

• Liaoning province (Dalian, Bayuquan, Jinzhou, Dandong)

For Dalian, Bayuquan, Jinzhou, Dandong port, local port operator or manager, and the customs /immigration authorities usually require incoming vessel to declare and provide a temperature monitoring table for all crew members covering the previous 21days prior to the ship’s berthing, together with a health declaration form for all the crew members.

Some terminals may require the ship’s itinerary in the past 28 days, crew boarding time and location, etc., as well as letter of declaration to confirm that no crew will disembark or to confirm that no accompanying persons and/or illegal immigrant are on board the vessel.

There is no standard declaration form required by all the ports. In other words, each port operator may determine its own form of declaration, and the form will be sent by the shipping agent to the Master for completion before/ after the vessel’s arrival.

At Bayuquan, the latest LOC requested by the port is said to be to confirm the vessel’s acceptance of un-berthing in the event that a Covid-19 positive case is confirmed on board.PCR Test is required to be carried out on all international incoming vessels / crewmembers.

Pilotage requirements: each pilot is required to take PCR test after each pilotage service, and can continue with his next pilotage service after the PCR test result has been confirmed negative. At several ports of Dalian, as the traffic boat is not available for transporting the pilots and only tugs are available, the pilotage service may be slower than before.

Green medical care channels remain open to seafarers with serious injury or life-threatening illness. There have been reports that in some of recent Covid-19 positive confirmed cases, disembarkation of the positive seafarer for medical care and repatriation was not permitted at several ports of Dalian, Bayuquan, etc. Specific request is considered on a case by case basis.

Change of foreign crew is not allowed by local port authorities and there has been no successful case recently. Change of Chinese seafarers could be permitted on a case by case basis, and if allowed the joining crew must have been vaccinated.

• Tianjin

Basically, a case by case policy is applied in Tianjin and any particular restrictions will depend on the relevant information declared to the authority. If the vessel comes from India, she will be allowed to berth after a minimum of 14 days have lapsed since her departure from India.

At some terminals, the pilotage might not be arranged during night time for high risk vessels.

Seafarers are able to receive medical treatment for both Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 issues.

• Caofeidian

If any Indian element is involved, the vessel will only be allowed to berth after 28 days have lapsed since her departure from the last port. Pilotage will not be arranged during night time if the period between the vessel’s departure from her last calling port and its arrival is less than 14 days.

A seafarer who is COVID-19 positive is not permitted to disembark. As for seafarers who are COVID-19 negative, the local authorities might not permit them to go ashore to receive medical treatment unless it is a life threatening situation.

Only changing of Chinese crew is permitted. For offsigners, the ship must have left her last port more than 28 days ago. For onsigners, NAT report within 48 hours as well as having received vaccination and holding green healthy code will be required.

• Jingtang

If any Indian element is involved, the vessel will only be allowed to berth after 21 days have lapsed since her departure from the last port of call. Pilotage will not be arranged during night time if the period between the vessel’s departure from last calling port and its arrival is less than 14 days.

A seafarer who is COVID-19 positive is not permitted to disembark. As for seafarers who are COVID-19 negative, the local authorities might not permit them to go ashore to receive medical treatment unless it is a life threatening situation.

Only changing of Chinese crew is permitted. For offsigners, the ship must have left her last port more than 28 days ago. For onsigners, NAT report within 48 hours as well as having received vaccination and holding green healthy code will be required.

• Qingdao

If the vessel has called any Indian port or changed Indian crewmembers within the past 21 days before her arrival, PCR test will be conducted to the whole crew.

For Dongjiakou terminal, if the vessel has called any Indian port or changed Indian crewmembers, PCR test will be arranged. Before the test results are available, cargo operation cannot be commenced.

Generally, Covid-19 positive crewmembers are allowed to disembark for shore treatment. But if the number of positive crewmembers is large, the authorities may refuse disembarkation. For urgent medical need, the authorities usually will approve the shore treatment request and render cooperation in terms of repatriation

Changing of Chinese crewmembers is allowed. Signing off of foreign crewmembers is possible on condition that they leave the country directly. Signing-on of foreign crewmembers is more difficult due to visa problem.

• Longkou

If the vessel has changed crew within the past 14 days, the authorities will consider their requirements on a case by case basis. If the crew change was arranged in high risks countries such as India, Russia, etc., sometimes the authorities may ask the vessel to wait at the anchorage until 14 days have elapsed since the crew change before she can be berthed.

For these vessels, the customs will decide whether to arrange PCR tests to the crew taking into consideration of the particular circumstances.

If the vessel has called any India port or changed Indian crew within the past 28 days, the customs will attend on board and conduct PCR tests.

In recent Covid-19 crew cases, the authorities agreed to disembark the crewmember for medical treatment. For urgent medical need, the authorities generally agree crew to visit doctor ashore.

Changing of Chinese crewmembers is allowed. For onsigning Chinese crewmembers, vaccination is required.

• Rizhao (including Lanshan)

If the vessel’s last port of call is India, the authorities usually require her to wait in the outer anchorage until 21 days have elapsed since her departure from the Indian port. After berthing, contactless cargo operation shall be arranged. Usually, the customs will not attend on board for PCR tests.

For vessels that have changed crew within the last 14 days, the customs will decide whether to conduct PCR test to the crew on a case by case basis.

Usually, the Covid-19 positive crewmembers are allowed to go ashore for medical treatment. In some cases, if the crewmember is asymptomatic, the authorities may ask the crewmember to return to vessel before her departure.

For urgent medical need, the authorities generally agree the crew to visit doctor ashore. Changing of Chinese crewmembers is allowed, whilst changing of foreign crew is not.

• Yantai

If the vessel has called an Indian port or changed with Indian crew within the last 28 days, all the crew will receive PRC tests. Before the test results are available, no cargo operation is allowed.

Usually the Covid-19 positive crewmembers are allowed to go ashore for medical treatment. For urgent medical need, the authorities generally agree the crew to visit doctor ashore.

Changing of Chinese crewmembers is allowed, whilst changing of foreign crew is not.

• Lianyungang

If the vessel has called a high risk area or country within the last 21 days, all the crew will receive PRC tests. Before the test results are available, no cargo operation is allowed. “High risk areas or countries” include but not limited to: India, Laos, Cambodia, Mongolia, Thailand, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Bhutan, and Myanmar.

Usually the Covid-19 positive crewmembers are allowed to go ashore for medical treatment. For urgent medical need, the authorities generally agree the crew to visit doctor ashore.

Changing of Chinese crewmembers is allowed, whilst changing of foreign crew is not.

• Weihai

For vessel arrival requirements, the authorities will consider the situation on a case by case
basis.

Usually the Covid-19 positive crewmembers are allowed to go ashore for medical treatment. For urgent medical need, the authorities generally agree the crew to visit doctor ashore.

Changing of Chinese crewmembers is allowed, whilst changing of foreign crew is not.

• Shidao

The authorities will consider the situation on a case by case basis. Usually the Covid-19 positive crewmembers are allowed to go ashore for medical treatment.

For urgent medical need, the authorities generally agree the crew to visit doctor ashore. Changing of Chinese crewmembers is allowed, whilst changing of foreign crew is not.

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