- The Secretary-General is aware of the significant challenges being faced by the global shipping industry to effect crew changes as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19).
- IMO has issued a set of recommended framework of protocols for ensuring safe ship crew changes and travel during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
IMO releases the recommended framework of protocols for ensuring safe ship crew changes and travel during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Seafarers extend service
The Secretary-General is aware of the significant challenges being faced by the global shipping industry to effect crew changes as a result of the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
Due to ongoing COVID-19 restrictions, large numbers of seafarers are having to extend their service on board ships after many months at sea, unable to be replaced after long tours of duty or be repatriated via aircraft to their home countries.
The Secretary-General refers to IMO Circular Letter No.4204/Add.6 of 27 March 2020 which
contains, inter alia, recommendations to Member States about measures to facilitate ship crew changes in seaports during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Recommended framework of protocols
Expanding on these recommendations, the Secretary-General has received a Recommended framework of protocols for ensuring safe ship crew changes and travel during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, proposed by a broad cross section of global industry associations in consultative status with the Organization representing the maritime transportation sector, as follows: ICS, IAPH, BIMCO, IFSMA, INTERTANKO, P&I Clubs, CLIA, INTERCARGO, InterManager, IPTA, IMCA, INTERFERRY, FONASBA, ITF and WSC; and which also take account of input from the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
The Secretary-General supports these protocols and urges their implementation. Member States and international organizations are invited to make use of the annexed Framework and to disseminate it among relevant national authorities with responsibility, inter alia, for maritime issues, health, customs, immigration, border control, seaport and civil aviation authorities; and to liaise with relevant national authorities with respect to the use and implementation of this Framework, as appropriate.
Minimizing trade and supply chain disruptions
G20 Governments, at their recent emergency meetings, have committed to minimizing disruptions to trade and global supply chains, and have identified the need to prioritize keeping air and sea logistics networks open and functioning efficiently.
Governments and relevant national authorities are recommended to:
- Designate professional seafarers and marine personnel, regardless of nationality when in their jurisdiction, as “key workers” providing an essential service.
- Grant professional seafarers and marine personnel with any necessary and appropriate exemptions from national travel or movement restrictions in order to facilitate their joining or leaving ships.
- Accept, inter alia, official seafarers’ identity documents, discharge books, STCW certificates, seafarer employment agreements and letters of appointment from the maritime employer, as evidence of being a professional seafarer, where necessary, for the purposes of crew changes.
- Permit professional seafarers and marine personnel to disembark ships in port and transit through their territory (i.e. to an airport) for the purposes of crew changes and repatriation.
- Implement appropriate approval and screening protocols for seafarers seeking to disembark ships for the purposes of crew changes and repatriation.
- Provide information to ships and crews on basic protective measures against COVID-19 based on WHO advice.
This framework of protocols expands on these recommendations, and maritime administrations should liaise with their Governments and relevant national authorities about their implementation as soon as possible.
Purpose and Scope
This framework of protocols sets out general measures and procedures that should, so far as practicable, be implemented by Governments and all stakeholders concerned – although these can be modified as appropriate – to facilitate safe ship crew changes during the COVID-19 pandemic.
These recommendations are addressed to maritime administrations and, as appropriate, in liaison with Governments – relevant national authorities including, inter alia, health, customs, immigration, border control, seaport and civil aviation authorities.
They also address the roles of shipping companies (their agents and representatives, including crew agencies) and the seafarers they employ; as well as – in consultation with relevant authorities – seaports, airports and airlines involved in the process of facilitating travel for the purpose of ship crew changes.
Governments and their relevant national authorities should be encouraged to do everything possible to facilitate ship crew changes, notwithstanding any restrictions that may continue to apply in response to the pandemic.
To comply with the IMO ISM Code, shipping companies are required, inter alia, to assess all identified risks to the safety of ships and personnel, and establish necessary safeguards and procedures in a documented Safety Management System (SMS). Elements of this framework of protocols could be integrated with the SMS as appropriate.
Health protection measures, such as personal protective equipment (PPE), as referred to in these protocols, should be provided, in principle, at no cost to seafarers, in accordance with the ILO MLC, 2006.
Some of the recommendations addressed to shipping companies might not be appropriate for every company, especially when ship crews are rotated frequently (e.g. on ferry services, in short sea trades or offshore support vessels) or when large numbers of crew
members are involved.
The extent of implementation will also depend on the circumstances that may prevail at the time in the seafarer’s country of residence or the place where the crew change is taking place, or other arrangements that shipping companies may have made with national authorities.
The requirements of shipping companies set out in this framework should not be regarded as minimum standards that must always be complied with, in every detail, in order for a ship crew change to take place.
To cover the scope, this framework of protocols comprises two parts:
- Protocols for joining a ship (P1 to P6) covering the periods during travel from a seafarer’s place of ordinary residence in one country via aircraft (and other transport modes) to join a ship in a seaport in another country; and
- Protocols for leaving a ship and repatriation (P7 to P12) covering the periods during travel from a ship in a seaport in one country via aircraft (and other transport modes) to a seafarer’s place of ordinary residence in another country.
Documentation
Implementation of these protocols should be supported by documentation in order to
facilitate recognition of adherence to these recommendations throughout the crew change and travel process. Whilst many of the documents referenced in these protocols may have already been developed by various stakeholders, some suggested possible templates are provided in the appendix.
Where possible, documents should be issued, prepared or made available in electronic form to reduce the risk hard copies pose for contamination. Where the original of the document is not in English, a translation should be made available.
The recommended documentation to be carried by seafarers, and as necessary prepared by seafarers for the purposes of their travel, are:
- Evidence of Seafarer Status Document(s)
- Crew Health Self-Declaration Form & Daily Temperature Records
- Employer Letter and Crew Change & Travel Information Sheet
In addition, it is suggested that Governments encourage seaports, airports and airlines to prepare information on their measures and requirements related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) for use by shipping companies and seafarers, and potentially other stakeholders concerned, in order to facilitate safe ship crew changes and travel during the pandemic.
This information could be prepared using the possible suggested templates set out in the
appendix:
- Port – Crew Change Information Sheet
- Airport – Crew Travel Information Sheet
- Airline – Crew Travel Information Sheet
Protocols for joining the ship
The objective of these protocols is to facilitate safe travel of seafarers to join ships for
the purpose of conducting crew changes, and to ensure that effective measures are applied to manage and control the risk of seafarers becoming infected with the coronavirus (COVID-19), or infecting other persons, prior to leaving their place of ordinary residence and while travelling via aircraft (and other modes of transport) to join ships in a seaport in another country.
P1 LOCATION: PLACE OF ORDINARY RESIDENCE
P2 LOCATION: AIRPORT OF DEPARTURE
P3 LOCATION: AIRCRAFT
P4 LOCATION: AIRPORT OF ARRIVAL
P5 LOCATION: SEAPORT
P6 LOCATION: SHIP
Read the full guidance here.
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Source: IMO
