Seafarers are still suffering unnecessarily because of government actions to mitigate the impacts of the COVID pandemic, four key UN bodies have said.
The joint statement has been released by the International Labour Organization, the International Maritime Organization, the UN Convention on Trade & Development and the World Health Organization.
Seafarers are still being stranded at sea “far beyond” the expiration dates of their contracts and the Maritime Labour Convention’s default 11-month maximum period of continuous onboard service.
Other seafarers have been unable to join ships to replace stranded crew, resulting in a “significant loss of income and resulting in hardship for seafarer and their families. This humanitarian crew change crisis has resulted in significant mental strain, fatigue and consequently increased the risk of accidents, imperilling working conditions in the shipping sector”.
The four UN bodies note that, although the number of seafarers that remain stranded has decreased, there is still a need for considerable and further efforts to rectify the situation and alleviate the continuing crisis.
The World Health Organization has also specifically recommended that seafarers be included as one of the groups of transportation workers to be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccinations in instances of limited supplies. Although seafarers are increasingly gaining access to vaccines “numerous challenges” remain. Recognition of health documents is also an ongoing issue. The World Health Organization has already published guidance to support countries on appropriate deployment of digital COVID-19 certificates for vaccination and is due to release another document in respect of COVID-19 test results.
The use of personal protective equipment is also another vital issues as it is one of the main tools to enable individuals to protect themselves and others from infection, particularly in settings such as ships as it it may be difficult to practice social distancing at all times. Seafarers may also find it difficult to access COVID tests and PPE onboard.
The International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), and the World Health
Organization (WHO) are reiterating their calls for continued collaborative efforts to address these
ongoing challenges.
Recalling UN General Assembly Resolution A/RES/75/17 on the need for international co-operation to address challenge faced by seafarers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the four bodies urge all stakeholdersto ensure the continued safe operation of shipping, and to keep ships moving, ports open and cross-border trade flowing during the pandemic.
The four bodies have called for the following actions:
- Provide seafarers with immediate access to medical care as well as facilitate their
medical evacuation when the required medical care cannot be provided on board. - Designate seafarers as “key workers”, providing an essential service, to facilitate
maritime crew changes and safe movement across borders, and recognize
relevant documentation for this purpose. - Prioritize the vaccination of seafarers, as far as practicable, in national COVID-19
vaccination programmes and exempt them from any national policy requiring
proof of COVID-19 vaccination as the only mandatory condition for entry, in
accordance with WHO recommendations. - Provide or administer COVID-19 tests and appropriate PPE to seafarers, including
PCR tests where necessary, to facilitate the identification of cases on board or at
the port, and to facilitate the movement of seafarers, including shore leave and
crew changes. - Ensure the consistent application of internationally agreed protocols and
standards, including those for seafarers’ travel and vaccination documents,
coordinate appropriately, and take measures to avoid punitive measures, fines
and excessive costs. - Adopt the latest legal instruments, including the MLC, 2006 and the Seafarers’
Identity Documents Convention (Revised), 2003, as amended (No. 185), and
ensure their implementation. - Implement the recently updated WHO sector-specific guidance for the
management of COVID-19 on board cargo ships and fishing vessels, published in
December 2021, which, among other issues, highlights the importance of nonmedical interventions, such as the use of face masks irrespective of vaccination status. - Provide, where relevant, public key certificates associated with any health proof
to relevant trust networks, such as ICAO for international travel. - Continue to collaborate to ensure that relevant guidance is regularly updated, in
line with developments and evolving scientific insights; and mechanisms are in
place to reduce and effectively respond to medical emergencies at sea. - Undertake concerted collaborative efforts to keep seafarers safe and limit
disruption to supply chains, as well as prevent the unchecked spread of emerging
VOCs, which could prolong the pandemic and its wide-ranging socioeconomic
consequences
