Citing information from their correspondents Cao Dong at Shanghai P&I Services Ltd, the Swedish P&I Club informed of updated measures implemented at main Chinese ports amid the coronavirus outbreak.
Based on “Guidelines for the prevention and control of epidemic-prone and pandemic acute respiratory infections in health care” by WHO as well as the experience of the measures taken by ships to prevent SARS epidemic in 2002, the Club issued the following advice for operators at Chinese ports:
-Timely notification: The member shall timely inform the ship of the current coronavirus in China, so that the crew members can fully understand the risk of the new coronavirus, and try not to replace the crew members during the period of heavy passenger flow in Chinese Spring Festival.
-Reduce physical contact between ship and shore: The members shall formulate a temporary safety policy and in the near future, try not to arrange any activities such as ship-to-shore exchange, on-board survey / inspection, internal and external audit, and maintenance. All onboard visits and family visits should be prohibited.
-Strengthen control at vessel’s gangway: During the berthing period in port, the captain shall ask the duty crew at the gangway to strengthen the control, strictly check the identity of all boarding personnel. At the same time, in the port with reported epidemic, crew members are prohibited from leaving the ship during berthing.
-Restricted area for foreign personnel: The vessel shall strictly control the activity area of foreign personnel on board the vessel, set up a tally room and reception room on the main deck, and control the entry of agents, tally man, foreman, suppliers and other foreign personnel into the crew’s living area.
-Pay attention to food safety: Food for ships should be purchased from regular suppliers, so as to avoid buying food from ports and regions where epidemic diseases are found. In the following days, more fresh vegetables and fruits should be added, and meat and poultry products should be reduced. Keep cutting boards and knives separate for raw and cooked food. Avoid raw food, especially meat and seafood.
-Focus on personal hygiene: Crew should wash their hands frequently, take a bath frequently, change clothes frequently, wash hands with soap or healthy sanitizer, wash working clothes frequently with disinfectant, put the clothes working outside in the locker room, don’t wear them back to personal room. Use a tissue or elbow to cover mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing to prevent spray. The used tissue should better be incinerated.
-Strengthen self-protection: The crew shall better wear the surgical mask during the berthing period, and avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms, and to avoid going out to public places and contact with livestock and wild animals during berthing.
-Carry out suspected screening: The captain shall strengthen the security screening of suspected cases of the ship. If any external person is found to have such symptoms as cold, cough or fever during berthing period, he shall immediately notify the agent, foreman or relevant party. If the crew members have similar symptoms in port, they should immediately arrange for medical treatment ashore. If during the voyage, quarantine shall be arranged first, the crew with symptoms shall not participate in collective activities, and the company shall be informed of the crew’s symptoms in time.
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