Maritime and Port Authority (MPA) of Singapore eases its crew change stance, reports Splash 247.
Key Southeast Asian shipping hub
The below are the latest enhancement MPA has made to its crew change policy.
For signing-on crew:
- Shipping companies are requested to inform MPA of crew change plans 14 days in advance.
- Confirm that the crew has been in quarantine for at least 14 days prior to entering Singapore with a negative Covid-19 test result.
- The crew also need a fit-to-travel medical certificate, issued by a doctor not more than 24 hours prior to departing the crew’s home country.
For signing-off crew:
- Seafarers will be required to have a fit-to-travel medical certificate and prove he/she has not gone ashore for the last 14 days and remains well.
In order to minimise the risk, all the crew need to be transferred directly between the vessel and the point of arrival/departure.
What is the halfway house concept?
Additionally, MPA is also exploring a so-called halfway house concept, mostly likely offshore, to accommodate sign-on crew in Singapore while waiting for their vessels to arrive.
Japanese owners have been looking at a similar concept, using the offshore airport near Osaka in a similar way.
Extension of contract period
Employers and seafarer trade unions recently agreed on one final month’s extension before crews working beyond their stipulated contracts must be repatriated.
This means governments have until June 15 to resolve the crew change issues. Around 150,000 seafarers are stuck beyond their contracts to get home due to strict travel restrictions.
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Source: Splash 247
