Following the COVID-19 outbreak and the major travel restriction issue that has arise, Wilhelmsen coordinated Singapore’s first full crew change for Synergy Group.
Specifically, the crew operation onboard the bulk carrier “Genco Liberty”, was performed under a new protocol developed by the Singapore Crew Change Working Group (SGCCWG).
In light of the above, Neal De Roche, Executive Vice President, Wilhelmsen Ships Agency noted:
As an integral part of the Singapore Crew Change Working Group, (SGCCWG) we are very happy to now be coordinating the first full crew change, performed in line with the new crew change protocol we worked so hard to put together as part of the SGCCWG.
For the records, the 19 Indian crewmembers will return home via a chartered flight from Singapore to Colombo and then on to India.
At the same time, 14 Sri Lankans and 4 Indian seafarers who arrived at Singapore from Sri Lanka, also via the same chartered flight, signed on the same day.
By enabling a full complement of Sri Lanka and Indian seafarers to join and disembark this GENCO Shipping & Trading bulk carrier, through this well planned and controlled changeover, they have shown the world that crew changeovers for seafarers of other nationalities are possible even during a pandemic.
….Captain Rajesh Unni, founder and CEO of ship management company, the Synergy Group said.
What is more, for the crew change operation, an approved medical doctor certified that all crew members were fit-to-travel prior to sign-off.
The crew were conveyed in private transport that complied with safe distancing measures, and fresh face masks and hand sanitisation were provided for all crew before boarding the vehicles.
We are glad that together with Wilhelmsen and the Synergy Group, and by using a chartered flight, we have been able to help 37 crew members sign-on and sign off. Such chartered flights provide an effective means of crew change under the established procedures.
…Ms Quah Ley Hoon, Chief Executive of MPA marked.
Concluding, the new crew change protocols published in the COVID-19 Singapore Crew Change Guidebook were developed in accordance with International Chamber of Shipping (ICS)’s Framework of Crew Change Protocol and MPA’s Port Marine Circular (PMC) 26 of 2020.
