Novel Coronavirus

Maritime safety threat from coronavirus to increase shipping costs

Photo credit: credit Valentin Schonpos from Pixabay

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A major international insurer has warned that marine safety is under threat because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In a new report listing ten coronavirus challenges to the shipping sector, major international insurer Allianz notes a variety of threats to shipping. “Consequences of coronavirus and a sustained economic downturn could threaten long-term safety improvement and trigger an uptick in losses,” the report says.

Among the causes of a...

https://shippingaustralia.com.au/maritime-safety-threat-from-coronavirus-to-increase-shipping-costs/

Hong Kong facilitates changeover of maritime crew

Pictured: an iconic type of boat in Hong Kong Harbour; credit Tee2Tee from Pixabay

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Welcome news from the Centre for Health Protection Communicable Disease Branch in Hong Kong. The CHP has advised the shipping industry that crew members of goods vessels will be exempt from compulsory quarantine upon arrival in Hong Kong.

There are, as may be expected, a variety of exemption conditions with which crew must strictly comply.

Firstly, incoming crew members should only aim to arrive in Hong Kong when...

https://shippingaustralia.com.au/cargo-crew-exempt-from-compulsory-quarantine-in-hong-kong/

World governments pledge to tackle global seafarer crew change crisis

Pictured: a containership in port; Photo credit: Kookay from Pixabay

Governments from 13 countries around the world have noted that the ability of shipping companies to continue conducting crew changes is “critical” and the governments have declared they are “deeply concerned” by the global crisis in seafaring.

Following the International Maritime Summit on Crew Changes earlier this week, held by the government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, 13 governments have...

https://shippingaustralia.com.au/world-governments-pledge-to-tackle-global-seafarer-crew-change-crisis/

CRISIS POINT: seafarers trapped, medical care denied, ships detained

Pictured: concept of a seafarer wearing a surgical mask. Photo montage credits: Jim Wilson, OlafPictures, Pisauikan, Pixabay

Readers who live near ports may be wondering why ships were sounding their horns at midday on Wednesday 8th July,. They did so in support of their seafarers.

Commercial mariners, Australia and international shipping are now at crisis point.

Seafarers are being forced, by government rules to combat the COVID-19 pandemic, to stay at sea for months beyond what they originally...

https://shippingaustralia.com.au/crisis-point-seafarers-trapped-medical-care-denied-ships-detained/

Ships to sound horns in support of stranded seafarers

Pictured: concept of a seafarer wearing a surgical mask. Photo montage credits: Jim Wilson, OlafPictures, Pisauikan, Pixabay

Ships in port around Australia may sound their horns at 12:00 local time today, Wednesday 8th July, in support of stranded seafarers.

Rules and regulations to control COVID-19 have had the effect of trapping cargo mariners at sea. Some individual seafarers have been stuck at sea for well over a year. A lack of available flights has also caused some seafarers to be stranded...

https://shippingaustralia.com.au/ships-to-sound-horns-in-support-of-stranded-seafarers/

Time’s up: AMSA sets out maximum seafarer service periods

Photo: Bluebudgie from Pixabay

Ships with seafarers aboard who have spent too long at sea may be detained, the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) has declared.

An explanation of how AMSA will respond to a variety of lengthy seafarer-service periods has been set out in Marine Notice 04/2020.

Service of less than 11 months
No action will be taken if a seafarer has served under 11 months, and has not taken leave, provided there is a valid Seafarer Employment Agreement that is being complied...

https://shippingaustralia.com.au/times-up-amsa-sets-out-maximum-seafarer-service-periods/

PA NSW scraps restrictive rules on vessel arrivals

Pictured: Port Jackson – more commonly known as Sydney Harbour – and probably the most famous port controlled by the Port Authority of New South Wales. Photo: David Mark from Pixabay.

Port Authority of New South Wales has scrapped its restrictions on vessels arriving from Iran, Italy, China or South Korea.

The easing of restrictions was effective as of Friday 26 June 2020.

Prior to PA NSW’s 26 June notice, PA NSW was formerly delaying pilotage services to ships that had transited from mainland...

https://shippingaustralia.com.au/pa-nsw-scraps-restrictive-rules-on-vessel-arrivals/

Victoria eases restrictions on crew changes

Pictured: the Weedy Sea Dragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus), which is the official Marine State Emblem of Victoria. GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2. Credit Richard Ling.

Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) yesterday (18 June 2020) issued comprehensive guidance allowing seafarers to be exempt from going into a mandatory 14-day quarantine.

Like rules issued by the other States and Territories, Victoria’s rules follow a familiar pattern: there is a general rule (in...

https://shippingaustralia.com.au/victoria-eases-restrictions-on-crew-changes/

COVID-19: regulatory, financial markets and legal consequences for shipping and trade

Pictured: an electron microscope image of the SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes the disease COVID-19. Image: NIH NIAD

COVID-19 has imposed a series of adverse impacts on shipping and world trade, ranging from the relatively minor to the extraordinarily serious.

Shipping Australia has produced a special report on the COVID-19 regulatory, financial market, and legal matters relevant to shipping and trade. It can be found both in the latest edition of the “Shipping Australia” magazine and we’ve also...

https://shippingaustralia.com.au/covid-19-regulatory-financial-markets-and-legal-consequences-for-shipping-and-trade/

Trapped seafarer situation worsening “by the day” says International Labour Organization

Seafarers are experiencing mental health issues because of measures to contain COVID-19, says the International Labor Organization. Their ability to safely carry out their duties is reducing, it adds. Photo credit: Wokandapix from Pixabay.

Governments, immigration, health and maritime authorities have been called upon to recognise seafarers as ‘key workers’ so they can safely return home, the International Labour Organization said on 08 June.

The ILO, a specialised agency of the United Nations,...

https://shippingaustralia.com.au/trapped-seafarer-situation-worsening-by-the-day-says-international-labour-organization/

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