The International Maritime Organization (IMO) stressed the importance of crew change overs in order for trade flow to continue, despite the challenges arising by the COVID-19 crisis.
During a virtual IMO-industry meeting hosted by IMO, April 30, Kitack Lim, IMO Secretary General, highlighted their appreciation for seafarers working on the front line to keep trade of essential goods flowing during the pandemic. They reiterated the need for seafarers, port workers and related personnel to be designated as key workers. The IMO issued the Circular Letter No.4204/Add.14 including recommended framework of protocols for ensuring safe ship crew changes and travel during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Due to the pandemic, several seafarers onboard and personnel in the offshore sector have had their contracts extended, with restrictions on travel making it difficult for crew to leave ships and for new crew to join ships. These extended stays on board could have significant repercussions for crew wellbeing as well as for ship operations, several NGOs said.
Concerning seafarers’ wellbeing, the latest Seafarers Happiness Index focused on the impact of COVID-19 and areas, such as workload, social interaction and shore leave, where its effects are being felt most keenly and revealed overall seafarer happiness dropped to 6.30 in Q1 2020, down from 6.39 in Q4 2019.
In addition, during the meeting the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) highlighted their work in leading a call for “hub” airports and seaports to be established, so that crew changes could take place more easily. The collaboration with shipping representatives and governments, port authorities, health authorities and others is continuing, in efforts to issue protocols for crew changes and crew movements.
In the meantime, IACS also discussed about their part of certifying ships for compliance with international treaty and class requirements, sometimes using techniques such as remote surveying where this was feasible. When surveyors do go on board, provision of personal protective equipment is critical.
NGOs were invited to share their views and updates on the matter of survey and certification, seafarer changeover and other concerns, including the prioritization and rescheduling of IMO meetings to the forthcoming thirty-second Extraordinary Session of the IMO Council, which is being held by correspondence from May to mid-July.
Concluding, IMO Secretary-General Lim pledged to continue to cooperate with Member States and overcome the barriers caused by the pandemic.
