BIMCO COVID-19 Weekly Report

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Mfame Editor
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This BIMCO COVID 19 weekly report for the week ending 8 October covers updates from Brazil, Latvia, Oman, Singapore, United Kingdom, the UK P&I Club, and the latest from the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Every week, BIMCO summarises measures imposed by governments for sea transport, including for crew change, as well as updates from United Nations bodies such as the IMO, World Health Organization (WHO), and International Labour Organization (ILO).

1. IMO

The below circulars represent the latest information to-date from the IMO.

  • Addendum no. 35/rev. 8, issued on 13 October 2021, provides a consolidated list of the IMO members that have so far notified IMO on their designation of seafarers as key workers to-date with the latest additions of Bulgaria and Pakistan. The full list is shown below:

  • Addendum no.42 to IMO circular no. 4204 “Coronavirus (COVID-19)” issued on 17 September 2021 relating to joint IMO/ILO statement on upholding medical assistance obligations to seafarers and accelerating seafarer vaccination programmes.

2. IMO Crew Change – National Focal Point for Crew Change and Repatriation of Seafarers 

According to GISIS today, the list of countries (45) informing the IMO of their national focal point of contact for crew change and repatriation of seafarers are: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium,  Brazil, Canada, the Cook Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, Montenegro, Myanmar, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Singapore (new), Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand , Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Vanuatu.

3. Government States

Cuba 

Extension of validity of seafarers’ certificates including medical certificates and endorsements has been granted from September 2021 to January 2022. Full details are available in the IMO circular letter no. 4249/Add.3.

All airports in Cuba are open again for commercial and charter flights but frequency is reduced. Presently, everyone travelling to Cuba must have a certified proof of a negative result of a PCR test taken within 72 hours before travel at an accredited testing centre in the country you are travelling from. A PCR test on arrival in Cuba is still required.  From 7 November onwards, entry to the country with a valid COVID-19 vaccination certificate from your country of origin will suffice and self-isolation will no longer be required upon arrival. However for those who are not vaccinated, PCR tests taken within 72 hours before travel will be required, including those who do not have valid vaccination certificates.**

Singapore 

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) issued Port Marine Circular (PMC) no. 40/2021 yesterday, relating to requirements for ships arriving in the port of Singapore where all operations (e.g. cargo operations, bunkering, ship’s supplies and stores, and other marine services) are carried out contactless or contactless with segregation protocol as set out in the said circular.

Primarily,  the former applies to no boarding other than MPA-licensed harbour pilots, authorised government officers and any approved MPA person and the latter implementing the segregation protocol to ensure minimum contact with the ship’s crew and shore-based personnel.

Note that with effect from 1 November 2021, for shore-based personnel boarding ships, the rostered routine testing (RRT) programme will switch from a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test to a Fast and Easy Test (FET) using a Antigen Rapid Test ( ART). The changes are reflected in Annex B of the circular. PMC no. 40/2021 supersedes PMC no. 31/2021.

4. Others

There is no news issued under this section.

5. BIMCO

BIMCO General COVID-19 Links 

BIMCO is continuously monitoring COVID-19 restrictions and its impact on the shipping industry in particular on crew changes. Below are some of the type of information  currently being provided by BIMCO :

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Source: BIMCO