The United States Coats Guard published an advisory highlighting that shipowners and operators should report the illness or death of persons on board, otherwise they will face delays and disruption of operations, such as returning to the previous port after sailing.
Specifically, the COVID-19 outbreak has seriously impacted the whole shipping industry and has brought many challenges.
Thus, the USCG notes that
Reporting delays create significant challenges to protect persons on board vessels and, more broadly, maintain an effective Marine Transportation System.
They add that vessels or masters that do not immediately report illness or death among passengers or crew may face delays and disruption to passenger and cargo operations including a requirement to return to the previous port after sailing. Additionally, vessels and masters are subject to Coast Guard enforcement action, which include civil penalties, vessel detentions, and criminal liability.
In addition, it is reported that illness of a person onboard a vessel that may adversely affect the safety of a vessel or port is a hazardous condition per 33 CFR 160.216 and the owner, agent, master, operator, or person in charge must immediately notify the nearest Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP). It is critical to report persons who exhibit symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or other illness to the COTP.
According to the 42 CFR 71.1, an ill person onboard is defined as the one that experiences:
A) Fever (has a measured temperature of 100.4 °F [38 °C] or greater; or feels warm to the touch; or gives a history of feeling feverish) accompanied by one or more of the following:
- skin rash,
- difficulty breathing or suspected or confirmed pneumonia,
- persistent cough or cough with bloody sputum,
- decreased consciousness or confusion of recent onset,
- new unexplained bruising or bleeding (without previous injury),
- persistent vomiting (other than sea sickness)
- headache with stiff neck;
B) Fever that has persisted for more than 48 hours;
C) Acute gastroenteritis, which means either:
- diarrhea, defined as three or more episodes of loose stools in a 24-hour period or what is above normal for the individual, or
- vomiting accompanied by one or more of the following: one or more episodes of loose stools in a 24-hour period, abdominal cramps, headache, muscle aches, or fever (temperature of 100.4 °F [38 °C] or greater);
Overall, any master of a ship heading to a US port of call has to report immediately to the quarantine station at or nearest the port at which the ship will arrive, the occurrence, on board, of any death or any ill person among passengers or crew (including those who have disembarked or have been removed) during the 15-day period preceding the date of expected arrival or during the period since departure from a U.S. port (whichever period of time is shorter).
See USCG’s additional advisories concerning COVID-19:
