Loss prevention advice by the Skuld P&I Club
Ebola outbreak has affected several West African nations continues with no sign of abating. It is prudent for operators that plan on calling at ports suffering outbreaks to implement on board safety procedures that regulate port calls and seek to mitigate against the potential risk of a crew man being exposed to an infectious disease.
Loss prevention advice
The Skuld P&I Club has prepared a practical guide as to how a container vessel may prepare and conduct itself during a port of call in a country experiencing an outbreak as follows:
– Advance prepare vessels, including providing sufficientsupplies of :
a. Medicines and equipment;
b. Protective clothing, including disposable overalls, fullgloves, hardened boots, face masks, balaclavas,googles and hard hats;
c. Infra-Red Thermometers for temperature checks;
d. Disinfectant and other vessel protective equipment;
e. Disposal facilities / procedure for used equipment andmaterial
– In advance of any call at a Port in an infected country, checkwith local Agents as to the very latest situation and anyprocedures put in place by local Authorities for managingPort calls and ship / shore interaction.
– Agree in advance, with all parties as to who will beresponsible for which aspect of the operation and prevention.The expense factor can be agreed upon prior the call to theaffected area to prevent disputes.
– Pilot boarding to be as per procedure, all crew members whoare attending the pilot at the boarding station to be fullycovered with protective disposable gear. On bridge allofficers and crew to be wearing protective disposable gear.Pilot can be offered the use of protective disposable gear butit stays in his rights if he wants to use it or not. As far aspossible, the accommodation block entry from ashore to beonly for the pilot. Pilot can be taken from exposedcompanionway without entering the accommodation. Anyhospitality of food and drink to be provided by way ofdisposable cups and crockery.
– If possible / practically workable, arrange for documentationto be exchanged electronically with the Port side for matterssuch as Port clearance.
– Prepare a “reception area” for any shore persons that will infact come on board, with disposable plastic sheeting onfloors, tables and chairs. Any access route on and off thevessel to be carefully monitored and disinfected, includingguard and hand rails after shore persons leave. Preferredlocation for such area is outside the Accommodation block ifpossible
– Do not permit use of on board toilet facilities, especially in theAccommodation block. If access is given to any facility itmust be very carefully disinfected after every use.
– Serve any food or beverage in / on disposal plates and cupsand with disposable cutlery.
– Accommodation, after mooring station, forward mooringstation and the tunnels if vessel is equipped to be kept solelyfor the crew to have access to forward mooring station. If thevessel is not having a tunnel then proper procedure whichmay include complete protective clothing to be donned priorentry is made on off shore main deck.
Find further information by reading Skuld’s Practical Advice for Container Vessels calling at Port with an infectious disease outbreak (October 2014)
