The availability of COVID-19 vaccines and rapid, standardised testing for the virus could be crucial in helping to resolve the ongoing crew change crisis. However, a meeting of a cross section of UN agencies, shipping organizations, unions and maritime and logistics businesses, agreed that the focus needs to be on developing a range of practical solutions.
Some 400,000 seafarers are stuck at sea, months beyond their contracted time, with increasing reports of severe fatigue and mental distress. A similar number of seafarers are trying to join ships to begin contracts, but transit to and from ships is being thwarted by travel restrictions and limitations imposed due to the pandemic.
The roundtable meeting (13 November), hosted by IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim, provided an opportunity for a frank exchange of ideas on how to move forward. Among the proposals discussed were further pushes to implement public health corridors, regional implementation of protocols to allow ports/airports to facilitate crew changes and the concept of a tamper-proof digital health passport or certificate for seafarers.
While there has been some progress, more countries need to designate seafarers as key workers and give them the rights that essential workers are given for travel and transit. Ongoing work to raise awareness of the crew change crisis at the political level and beyond, including a focus on the human rights of seafarers, is still needed, participants said…
