Seafarer crew change crisis

Crew change crisis continues to worsen

Credit: International Maritime Organization

Government actions to combat COVID are continuing to make life unreasonably difficult for seafarers. The crew change crisis has been going on for more than 15 months and is getting worse, not better, says the Global Maritime Forum, an international not-for-profit organisation.

“The Covid-19 pandemic has created an unprecedented crew change crisis which has led to hundreds of thousands of seafarers being impacted and, in many instances, left stranded on...

https://www.shippingaustralia.com.au/crew-change-crisis-continues-to-worsen/

Asian Shipowners Association declares support for seafarers and condemns no-crew change clauses

Pictured: seafarers. Credit: Skeeze via Pixabay

The plight of seafarers during the the COVID pandemic was on the top of the agenda at a recent meeting of the Asian Shipowners’ Association.

Chairman of ASA Ship Insurance and Liability Committee, Mr Richard Hext said, ‘At the peak of the crew change crisis last year, around 400,000 seafarers were stranded at sea. This figure has mercifully reduced to around 200,000, but is still intolerable.

“It is especially disappointing to see cases of...

https://www.shippingaustralia.com.au/asian-shipowners-association-declares-support-for-seafarers-and-condemns-no-crew-change-clauses/

Deliver seafarers home for Christmas

Santa Claus, or, if you prefer, Father Christmas, is a much-known character beloved by kids the world over for bringing them wonderful presents.

Santa, of course, ain’t real (sorry kids!).

The people who really do bring you wonderful presents from the other side of the planet are seafarers.

Sadly – tragically – they’re more unfairly maligned than beloved, especially by many (but not all) governments and officials that prevent seafarers from accessing much-needed medical care, from taking shore...

https://shippingaustralia.com.au/deliver-seafarers-home-for-christmas/

UN General Assembly adopts resolution calling on governments to designate seafarers as key workers

Pictured: UN General Assembly; Credit – UN Photo

The United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution on 01 December calling on UN Member States to designate seafarers as key workers.

Among the recitals to the resolution, the UN noted that it is “deeply concerned about the significant challenges being faced by the global shipping community to effect crew change and repatriation of seafarers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic”.

The resolution calls on all member governments to promptly...

https://shippingaustralia.com.au/un-general-assembly-adopts-resolution-calling-on-governments-to-designate-seafarers-as-key-workers/