BIMCO COVID 19 weekly report

COVID-19 Posters for ships

Overview

The BIMCO Maritime Information department informs members on a weekly basis, updates about the COVID-19 in relation to implementation measures imposed by governments for sea transport including for crew change as well as from the United Nation bodies like the International Maritime Organization (IMO), World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO).

BIMCO provides the following update for this week ending Friday, 6 August 2021.

1. IMO


The below  represent information from the IMO.  

No changes to the below status of designation of Seafarers as keyworkers:

2. IMO Crew Change - National Focal Point for Crew Change and Repatriation of Seafarers 

 

As per our BIMCO news of 12th April, the IMO has discontinued the issue of the IMO circular in series: MSC.7/circ. 1 relating to government states informing the IMO of their national focal point for crew change and repatriation of seafarers. Instead, the IMO's online Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) will be used to contain such information. 

According to GISIS today, the list of countries  (45) informing the IMO of their national focal point of contact for crew change and repatriation of seafarers are: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium Brazil, Canada, the Cook Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, India, Indonesia, IrelandIsrael, Italy, Jamaica, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, Montenegro, Myanmar, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Singapore Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand , Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Vanuatu.

Earlier reference of the MSC.7/circ.1 : our implementation page.

 

3. Government States

 

Australia

6 August - Western Australia(WA) could start turning away international cargo ships and ban companies from entering the state’s ports if they knowingly or recklessly bring in COVID-infected crew.

WA reserve the right to stop that ship from coming in, we also reserve the right to stop ships from that country coming into WA. A temporary ban on vessels or ships that have been through higher risk ports is something that may also need to be put in place. If particular shipping companies are not meeting the required standards, they could also be banned from granting permission to berth at a WA port.

The rules (not published yet) put the responsibility on shipping companies to make sure:

  • There are no crew changes in high-risk countries
  • that anyone who goes onto a ship in a high-risk country wear appropriate personal protective equipment
  • there is PCR testing of maritime workers who board the ship in a high-risk country
  • there is testing of whole crews on arrival in high-risk locations and before entering WA waters
  • all crew members disembarking in WA from a higher risk location are vaccinated. 

Belgium

29 July  - IMO Circular Letter No.4255/Add.2 Belgium starts campaign to vaccinate foreign seafarers

Canada 

27 July - Ship Safety Bulletin (SSB) #11/2021 Updated guidelines respecting the mobility of asymptomatic, presumed non-COVID-19-carrying seafarers in the marine sector during the COVID-19 pandemic

The Netherlands

2 August - The Netherlands Vaccination Programme for Seafarers. The programme was launched in June and will run for several months.  please refer to the below link to KVNR.

Pakistan 

30 July - Sindh government Order 30 July The Sindh government has decided to impose an immediate lockdown starting from tomorrow July 31 till August 8 as the province continues to battle the dangerous surge in COVID-19 infection

Philippines 

2 August - RESOLUTION NO. 130-A Inter-Agency Task Force For the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases Risk-level classifications of Provinces, Highly Urbanized Cities (HUCs), and Independent Component Cities (ICCs) effective 01 August 2021

Tanzania 

2 August - Communication from Tanzanian govt to the IMO distribute as Circular Letter No.4288/Add.1 regarding the MERCHANT SHIPPING NOTICE MSN 2420 Amendment 1/2021 Guidance Relating to the Extension of Validity for Seafarers Documents and Certificates due to Coronavirus (COVID - 19) Pandemic 

  

4. Others

 

6 August-International Group of P&I Clubs (IGP&I) Document produced by the thirteen P&I Clubs which are members of the International Group of P&I Clubs in order to answer a number of questions that are frequently asked about P&I Club cover relating to the vaccination of seafarers.

 

5. BIMCO

 

BIMCO General COVID-19 Links 

BIMCO is continuously monitoring COVID-19 restrictions and its impact on the shipping industry in particular on crew changes. Below are some of the type of information  currently being provided by BIMCO :

You can also view all information on our COVID-19 landing page.

Ai Cheng Foo-Nielsen
in Copenhagen, DK

Coronavirus

Access BIMCO's COVID-19 related articles and advice.

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