Crew changes: An overview

It is stated that the foreign nationals need a permit is required from the relevant Ministry of the country where the crew member with be repatriated, or relevant diplomatic embassy. After that some other permits has to be taken from other local authorities in our country.

May 7: No crew changes allowed.

Western Australia: Crew changes are still possible although an application is required to be made to the Western Australian Police and if that application is successful a further application needs to be made to the relevant terminal operator.

May: All crew changes are suspended except in case of “extreme necessity” which theoretically applies to nationals and foreigners. In practice the borders are closed and commercial flights suspended. Therefore no crew changes on foreign vessels are practically possible.

Queensland: Recent directions (issued 1 May) from the Queensland Chief Health Officer have substantially eased the ability of shipping operators to change crew in Queensland. In summary, non-cruise maritime crew can arrive by air or sea and travel on domestic flights to get to their vessel, join other ships, and transit Australia to get to a flight to depart the country.

According to North P&I Club, On-signing crew can transit and take a domestic flight to meet their vessel and self-isolate onboard the vessel (and must self-isolate at their accommodation if they have a layover at any time) without having to first spend the otherwise mandatory 14 days in quarantine at a nominated premise. Off-signing crew must have completed a 14 day isolation period onboard the vessel since the departure from their last foreign port (including time spent at sea) and can travel to get a flight to depart the country. If they are signing off within the 14 day period they must self-isolate at their accommodation for the remainder of the 14 day period before transiting to catch a departing flight. Where a crewmember is an Australian resident and is signing off a vessel within the 14-day isolation period and returning home, they must self-isolate at their usual place of residence for the remainder of the 14-day self-isolation period.

April 30: Crew changes of foreign nationals are not permitted until further notice. Where crew of foreign nationality are required to be repatriated from demolition vessels after beaching, it is so allowed if the crew has undergone a period of 14 days quarantine period on board which means that such vessels have to stay for 14 days at the anchorage before beaching and Corona Virus free certification has been issued by the Port Health Officer on arrival of the vessel.

Crew of own Nationality repatriated by air are allowed entry into the Country, subject to 14 days compulsory quarantine on arrival, similarly, crew of own nationality are allowed to be signed off and signed on the vessel at in Bangladesh in strict compliance with the health related guidelines.

Seamen with a valid Schengen visa are an exception.

There is no problem for own nationals.

May 19: Brazil’s National Sanitary Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) issued procedures for boarding and disembarking of vessels’ and platforms’ crew, in order to prepare for potential serious COVID-19 cases in autumn.

May 5: No, only in exceptionally cases will crew changes of foreign nationals be permitted and the crew are required to board a flight on the same day as disembarking the vessel.

Crew changes for Brazilian nationals are permitted however restrictions on internal travel make this difficult.

Domestic crew should follow the advice of their employer and local health officials.

No traveller can board a flight/enter Canada if they are symptomatic with a fever and cough or a fever and breathing difficulties

Transport Canada is now requiring all air passengers to have a non-medical mask to cover their mouth and nose during air travel (including at airports). Travellers will be required to demonstrate that they have the necessary non-medical mask during the boarding process; otherwise they will not be allowed to continue on their journey (applicable to all flights to, from and within Canada).

Formalities: Crew Travel documents are requested, min 72h in advance, to submit formal petition before Authorities.

All people circulating in France during quarantine period must carry a certificate for special dispensation  proving that their trip is imperative and cannot be postponed (fines for any infringement start at 135€) . This certificate will be prepared for the repatriated crewmember by the people organizing the transport stating that the trip from hospital to airport is imperative for a foreign crewmember having disembarked for medical treatment and now returning home, and to be presented with crewmember’s papers (seaman book and passport) as well as flight ticket and ‘fit to fly’ issued by the hospital in the event of any police control.

If repatriation cannot be organized on commercial flights as none landing in crewmember’s home country , there is the possibility of chartering medical planes with medical escort companies which is a more expensive option and still also very much subject to approval from authorities at destination which has to be checked on a case-by-case basis.

Immigration at CDG will still issue Schengen visas upon arrival for on-signers who are arriving without any visa. On-signers must arrive the same day as the vessel which means they are not authorised to stay in hotel.

For off-signers, Schengen visas are available when leaving ports BUT they must also leave CDG on the day of signing-off. Hotel stay is not allowed. And they have to hold their plane tickets.

Wiltex advise crew changes of both Ghanaian nationals and foreign nationals are allowed provided no report of any COVID-19 related-sicknesses whereby the strict protocol measures will be enforced.

1) Crew disembarkation:

• No OPL crew changes allowed – vessel must be at anchor.
• Vessel disembarking crew cannot depart Gibraltar until crew have boarded the aircraft.
• In case of flight cancellation, crew to be returned to vessel – Master to confirm acceptance of this in writing.
• Disembarking crew to confirm free of any symptoms for the past 14 days – vessel’s Master to provide official declaration.
• Agent to arrange special transport provisions – transportation from port to airport is to be using designated transport facilities, managed by MMGoG’s office for Civil Contingencies.
• Agent launch crew to avoid close contact with disembarking crew.
• No hotel stay allowed.

2) Embarking crew:

• No OPL crew changes allowed – vessel must be at anchor.
• Onsigners to be isolated in their hotel rooms for stay.
• Only designated hotel to be used where hotel stay is required. This hotel facility is managed by HMGoG’s office for Civil Contingencies.
• Agent to arrange special transport provisions – transportation from airport to hotel and to port is to be using designated transport facilities, managed by
• MMGoG’s office for Civil Contingencies.
• Agent launch crew to avoid close contact with embarking crew.

Ministry of Home Affairs provide amended consolidated guidelines (No. 40-3/2020-DM-I(A))that include transit arrangements for foreign nationals and advises no new restrictions on port or cargo operations; operating procedure for sign-on and sign-off of Indian seafarers at Indian ports; and Intra and inter-state movement of such seafarers on the basis of authorization/e-pass issued by Director General of Shipping, Government of India (DGS), along with physical copy of Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC) as proof of identity issued by DGS.

• Crew from China, Philippines, Myanmar, Indonesia and Vietnam are allowed to enter Korea without Korean visa.
• All on-signers (regardless of their nationality) will need to undergo a 2-week quarantine upon arrival in the airport at their own expense.
• Off-signers can disembark from the vessel after undergoing Special Quarantine Procedures and downloading the Self Diagnosis Mobile App.
• They will have to report their health conditions through the Self Diagnosis Mobile App once daily and if the application is not downloaded, the off-signer is not allowed to disembark the vessel.
• Chinese transit passengers without Korean visas and foreigners from China will not be allowed.

The following crew/passengers are restricted to enter Korea

1. All Chinese seafarers with passport issued in Hubei province is prohibited to enter Korea
2. All valid Korean visa issued in Hubei province has temporarily lost its effect until further notice.
3. All foreigners that have visited Hubei province in the past 14 days is prohibited to enter Korea.
4. All foreigners transit without visa to Jeju Island in Korea has temporarily lost its effect.

This is applicable to people who had been in that particular country for a minimum of 2 weeks. In this respect this proviso could also be considered when crew changes are involving persons not from the specific countries listed in the Legal Notice. Crew changes can be planned and travel arrangements made accordingly.

April 30: Crew changes are not permitted in Malta until further notice.

However note that all airports are closed and  international travel to and from Namibian closed and banned.

Marine crew arriving by sea must self-isolate on the vessel for 14 days until they departed from after overseas port OR took on new crew (i.e. 14 days from the last day of possible exposure to a case).

A.- In respect of locals changing crew, except for limitations as to age, less than 60 years old are allowed, or what is described as patients of risk i.e. with heart, lung condition , diabetes, etc.

B.- As to foreign mariners please be informed that the national  boundaries are closed and no commercial flights are coming to or leaving from Peru, except humanitarian flights. On the other hand, there is no restriction as to maritime traffic.

The Philippine government has now allowed foreign cruise ships with Filipino crew members to dock in Manila ports and to be used as quarantine facilities for their crew members. Foreign crew on the cruise ships will be allowed to disembark in Manila “for the sole purpose of taking outbound flights to their final destination abroad” after finishing the 14-day mandatory quarantine upon disembarkation.

4 May: There is a suspension of all International flights to and from the Philippines until 10 May.

Crew changes for foreign crew are not recommended due to the international flights being suspended. They can be performed only after special approval/confirmation by the Russian Sanitary Authorities at the urgent situations such as illness of the crewmember, death of the relatives. A crew member may sign off and stay in Russia until the flights are resumed, but the subsistence costs are to be covered by someone (the local authorities require a relevant assurance before they allow such a sign-off).

• a copy of the passport of each crew members
• the maritime declaration of health completed
• crew List
• confirmation that there are no symptoms of covid on board
• list of ports of call & date
• ship’s sanitary certificate
• Company’s letter, in French, explaining the intended operation
• e-tickets with final destination
• attestation document completed for each crew members
• for non-European crew member a ‘Sauf conduit’
• All the flights (arrival and departure) should be booked on the same day of the operation.

June 1:  The Maritime & Port Authority (MPA), The Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) and The Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU), in cooperation with the International Maritime Employers’ Council Ltd (IMEC) and The World Shipping Council (WSC) have formed the Singapore Crew Change Working Group (SGCCWG) to facilitate crew changes in Singapore.

May 26: MPA Singapore announced it’s loosening its restriction on mariner movements through the seaport.

May 22: MPA Singapore announced it is loosening crew change restrictions for

• seafarers whose employment contract has expired
• additional crewmembers on board whose sign-off would not affect the safe manning of the ship
• change of crew due to the sale or purchase of ship
• personnel who are not part of the ship’s crew, such as superintendents and service engineers.

April 30: Based on the details included in MPA’s published circular, crew changes can be conducted.

• Crew on commercial vessels are allowed to sign off to return to their country of origin/residence.
• Crew must prove that they have confirmed E-tickets and they do not transit or end in countries that have closed their borders.
• For crew from EU or Schengen free traffic citizens, crew is to go directly to the airport to fly out immediately and vessel is to stay in port so that the crew can board again if the flight is cancelled.
• For crew from other countries, it is dependent on approval by immigration authorities and crew will only be allowed to leave their rooms to buy essentials from the supermarket
• As per government instructions, only 1 crew member per car during transfer service, and only 2 crewmembers per van.
• Authorities will require the maritime health declaration, list of last 10 ports, and the crew list
• The crew of the ships will prove their condition when required, through the presentation among others, of the following documents: a) Professional card or certificate (Certificate of competency or proficiency) or Seafarers’ identity document or Seaman Book). b) Written or employment contract of the shipping company, the contracting agency and placement or the Captain of the ship, which proves his designation as crew member (Employment agreement or Letter of appointment). This documentation will include, at less, the name and flag of the ship, port where it is located and estimated date for boarding or disembarking.

The crew of the ships will have access to Tourist accommodation when it is necessary to comply with the rest periods provided for the crews or to carry out the displacement of the crew to or from the Spanish port where the ship is.

1. Taiwan seamen’s entry is allowed, subject to 14 days self- quarantine.
2. Foreign seaman (PRC seaman is excluded) whose condition falls within one of the following can apply for permit on the ground of performing business contracts at port:

1. Work on a Taiwan flagged vessel, or
2. Work on a foreign flagged vessel  (PRC flagged vessel is excluded) owned by a Taiwan owner, or
3. Work on a vessel (PRC flagged vessel is excluded) that is being delivered or redelivered in Taiwan.

Foreign seaman who applies for permit for crew change at airport shall also fit for one of the above condition. Once the application is approved, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will issue temporary visa for 21 days.  Seamen shall undergo 14 days self-quarantine after entering into Taiwan. Exception: Seaman (Taiwan or foreign national) disembarks from a vessel only sailing Taiwan domestic route, or does not call at foreign ports for the past 30 days, only needs to carry out sell-health management during the stay in Taiwan.

April 30: No. For emergency crew changes, a 14 day quarantine is in place.