Governments around the world have been urged by the heads of three specialised UN agencies to ease crew change restrictions at seaports and airports, and to designate maritime, aviation and logistics personnel as key workers.
Kitack Lim, the Secretary General of the International Maritime Organization, together with Fang Liu, the head of the International Civil Aviation Organization, along with Guy Ryder, the head of the International Labour Organization made the call in a new joint statement.
Noting that about 150,000 seafarers around the world will require international flights to get to and from ships, the trio described the crew change issues as “one of the biggest challenges facing the shipping industry”.
They noted that large numbers of seafarers are having to extend their service on board ships after many months at sea and that they are unable to be replace or repatriated after long tours of duty.
“This situation is unsustainable, both for the safety and wellbeing of seafarers and the safe operation of maritime trade”.
Governments were urged to take “urgent action” to address the issue and to bring the contents of Circular Letter No. 4204/Add.18 of 26 May / 22 May 2020 to the attention of all appropriate authorities.
That circular urges governments and other appropriate authorities to:
- designate seafarers, logistics and other supply chain personnel as “key workers” providing an essential service
- designate seafarers, logistics and other supply chain personnel any and necessary appropriate restrictions from travel and health related movement restrictions to help crew join or leave ships, aircraft, airports or cargo facilities
- accept official seafarer identity documents, discharge books, STCW certificates, employment agreements, letters of appointment and other documents as evidence of being a seafarer or other key logistics worker for the purposes of crew changes
- permit seafarer to disembark ships and transit through their territory (e.g. to an airport) for the purposes of crew changes and repatriation
- generally ensure the avoidance of undue or inadvertent restrictions.
Sources:
“UN agencies call for urgent action on crew changes and keyworker designation for sea and air workers,” International Maritime Organization Briefing 16, 27 May 2020.
“A Joint Statement on designation of seafarers, marine personnel, fishing vessel personnel, offshore energy sector personnel, aviation personnel, air cargo supply chain personnel, and service provider personnel at airports and ports as key workers, and on facilitation of crew changes in ports and airports in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic,” IMO, ILO, ICAO; IMO Circular Letter No. 4204/Add.18 of 26 May / 22 May 2020.
