Qatar has launched a pilot seafarer vaccination programme out of Ras Laffan for all crew working on Qatari managed and chartered vessels.
Namely, the seafarer vaccination programme is being ran by state-owned Qatar Petroleum, while Qatari shipping company Nakilat is being included in the pilot.
According to Nautilus International, the Emirate was considering use of the single jab Johnson & Johnson vaccine due to the difficulty in guaranteeing chartered ships’ return to Ras Laffan within the timeframe required for dual dose inoculations.
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Currently, it is not clear if any British officers are on board the ships with seafarers being vaccinated.
Nakilat is the largest owner of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) carriers in the world, with a fleet of 70 ships with a combined carrying capacity of over nine million cubic meters, or 12% of the global LNG fleet carrying capacity.
Most of its vessels are employed through long-term time charter including with Shell Shipping.
