Gautam Ramaswamy, the director for regulatory affairs at the Hong Kong Shipowners Association, will be joining an International Chamber of Shipping-led conference call among the world’s shipping associations today (8pm HK-time). The discussion has been prompted by concerns for the welfare of seafarers.
Secretary- General of the ICS, Guy Platten has said ahead of the remote meeting: “ICS will be using our convening power to bring national associations from around the world together for the first of an ongoing set of meetings designed to identify swift and effective solutions.”
Maritime Organizations including the Port State Control of many nations have been taking a pragmatic approach by not insisting on crew changes in accordance with the requirements of the Maritime Labour Convention and the International Labour Office of the International Labour Organization has also stated:
“The Office is of the view that the competent authority may authorise – within specific limits – exceptions to the prohibition to forgo annual leave under Standard A2.4, paragraph 3, of the MLC, 2006 for imperative reasons of public health emergency such as the need to contain the current coronavirus outbreak.”
In the face of a diminishing number of ports allowing crew to disembark and allow for crew change, Mr Platten said:“The issue of crew change that has arisen due to the coronavirus should be of particular concern to the international community. Every day, seafarers across the world are providing a front-line service to the global economy. Limitations on crew change (the replacement of one of the ship’s crew members with another one) have the potential to cause serious
disruption to the flow of trade.
“Not only do we have a duty to ensure that global trade continues, but we also must ensure that the welfare of our seafarers is not jeopardised. Although all ICS members are doing a fantastic job at supporting their individual members at a national level, this pressing problem requires the attention of the entire international community.”
Meanwhile the International Maritime Organization has issued fresh STCW guidance in the face of many nation states who are inhibiting crew changes and thus posing serious difficulties for administrations to continue training of seafarers, revalidate certificates, including medical certificates, and the issuance of endorsements validating recognition of certificates in accord with the STCW Convention.
IMO has approached port state controls and maritime administrations in an effort to persuade them to take a pragmatic approach to the extension of certificates and endotrsements.
Source:
hongkongmaritimehub
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