The Republic of Marshall Islands issued a marine safety advisory concerning the COVID-19 outbreak, urging vessels calling in affected ports to be cautious and informs that they are focusing on the efficient implementation of seafarer employment agreements, as much as possible, so all seafarers are repatriated.
Specifically, the Republic highlights that the shipping industry should follow the guidelines issued by the World Health Organization on a regular basis.
Firstly, the Administration notes the importance of hygiene, and the reduction of exposure to, and transmission of, the disease, including:
- Cleaning hands frequently by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water;
- When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with flexed elbow or tissue,
then immediately throw the tissue away and wash hands; - Avoiding close contact with anyone who has fever and cough; and
- Avoiding the consumption of raw or undercooked animal products and the crosscontamination of uncooked foods as per good food safety practices.
In addition, it is stated that they temporarily suspend all vessel inspections and other boardings within Chinese ports, and also they will not inspect vessels arriving at an overseas port from China until 14 days (the incubation period) has elapsed from leaving the last Chinese port.
Crew Contracts
The Administrator is informed that stringent boarder control measures to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have led in operators having difficulty in arranging crew changes and repatriating seafarers when their employment agreements expire. Consequently, some seafarers employed to work on RMI-flagged ships may exceed the service period as entered in their seafarer employment agreements (SEA).
The Administrator although allows for extended SEAs, they also understand that some port States hold a rigid interpretation that a SEA may not be extended beyond 11 months or its original contract date, if less than that period.
Given that the attention of the shipping industry is on handling the seafarer employment agreements, the Administration informed that they are handling these COVID-19 contract and repatriation issues on a case-by-case basis.
The Administration emphasizes that
It encourages dialog between the relevant stakeholders (flag State, shipowner, seafarer, and port State) so that a practicable way forward to an already difficult situation may be taken.
Although the COVID-19 crisis is a setback for shipping operations, Marshall Islands Administration comments that the MLC 2006 should be complied and implemented, while ships and crew should not be unreasonably detained or delayed per MLC, 2006, Standard 5.2.1.8, because of the lack of flexibility in this unforeseen circumstance.
Therefore, they comment that
Shipowners, managers, and crewing agencies are also instructed to think ahead and prepare for seafarer and crew relief in light of the current circumstances.
Concerning crew working conditions and repatriation, AMSA recently stated that that travel restrictions and quarantine measures which have been implemented worldwide to help limit the spread of COVID-19 are beginning to impact seafarer working conditions.
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