Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Paris Memorandum of Understanding on Port State Control (Paris MoU) modified its previously drafted guidelines concerning the outbreak’s impacts.
In an effort to appropriately inform shipping industry about the coranavirus crisis, Paris MoU decided to make the guidance publicly available.
Specifically, the temporary guidance for its Member Authorities was drafted earlier, recognising the need to apply flexibility under these special circumstances in a harmonized way.
It was at that time agreed that in view of the coronavirus crisis, extensions of ships’ certificates with three months could be accepted.
With the outbreak resulting several operational challenges for ship operators and surveys and audits difficult to arrange, the Paris MoU considered that a limitation of three months in the guidance may be too short to highlight the currently difficulties being faced and therefore has amended its guidance.
Having considered the exceptional circumstances, extensions of the validity of certificates to an appropriate and proportional grace period specific to COVID-19 may be accepted. In addition, alignment with ILO’s “Information note on maritime labour issues and coronavirus (COVID-19)” has been sought in relation to MLC matters.
….as Paris MoU concluded.
See also:
- Indian Ocean MoU: Guidance for dealing with COVID-19
- Tokyo MoU to adopt guidance for dealing with COVID-19 impact
