In a major development, China has announced the strengthening of measures to prevent and control the spread of covid-19 epidemic for seafarers on international sea-going vessels, says an article published in the Standard Club.
What is it?
ICS (China) Liaison office has issued information regarding the new requirements issued by China to prevent and control the spread of covid-19 epidemic for seafarers on international sea-going vessels.
- The new measures now require any new sign-on crew who has joined the ship within 14 days before entering China to have a negative Nucleic Acid Amplification Technique (NAT) test for Covid-19 within 3 days before boarding the ship.
- The test is to be conducted at an institution designated or approved by the Chinese embassies or consulates overseas.
The club would like to thank ICS for providing this information.
The Circular Letter
To protect the health of seafarers on the international sea-going vessel, and prevent the cross-border spread of the COVID-19 epidemic through seafarers on international sea-going vessels, in accordance with the Frontier Health and Quarantine Law of the People’s Republic of China, Emergency Response Law of the People’s Republic of China, Maritime Traffic Safety Law of the People’s Republic of China and other relevant regulations, we hereby announce the following relevant matters:
- This Announcement shall apply to all the international sea-going vessels which are prepared to enter China.
- This Announcement shall apply to the vessels which the change of seafarers has been
conducted at the previous port or place, or the change of seafarers has been conducted within 14 days before the vessels come to China. The signing-on seafarers shall conduct nucleic acid amplification technique (NAT) tests for Covid-19 showing negative results within 3 days before boarding the vessels. The NAT test should be conducted in an institution designated or approved by the Chinese embassies or consulates overseas. - This Announcement shall apply to those vessels which are entering the first visiting port in China for arranging the entry formalities. The copies of the Covid-19 NAT test certificates showing negative results as stated in paragraph 2 above shall be presented, through the vessels or their ship-owning companies or their ship agencies, if the change of seafarers has been conducted at the previous port or place, or the change of seafarers has been conducted within 14 days before the vessels come to China.
- When the vessels governed by this Announcement violate the requirements under this
Announcement and other provisions of relevant laws and regulations of China, the vessels may be banned from departing or operating at the ports of China. For severe violations, the responsible persons may be liable to administrative actions. The seafarers who signed on board the vessels at the previous port or place or within 14 days before the vessel coming to China without negative COVID-19 NAT test certificates or in possession of false-negative COVID-19 NAT test certificates, and further causing or to be in danger of causing the spread of COVID-19 epidemic within the territory of China, maybe criminally liable according to the relevant laws and regulations.
This Announcement shall come into force on the date of issuance.
Hereby announced.
-The Ministry of Transport
The General Administration of Customs
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Date: 24 September 2020
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Source: Standard Club
