Friday, August 27, 2021

UK Insurance Group Offers Members Comprehensive Updates on Global Crew Change Situation

As Pandemic Rules Shift So Current Port Information is Vital
Shipping News Feature

UK – WORLDWIDE – As the dust gradually settles on many of the areas disturbed by the Covid pandemic there remains a constant state of flux as regards travel and transport between different states. This has proved particularly difficult for ship owners and operators with the need to change crews who may have been stranded on board for many months.

With travel now more widely permitted, despite many stringent vaccine and certification requirements, the difficulty lies in staying abreast of changes affecting dozens of countries with very often little notice updating the situation.

In able to assist its members to change crews without being hung up in red tape the UK P&I Club has been working with over 200 members of its correspondents network to produce a comprehensive document that outlines challenges and changes for crew changes in ports all around the globe.

This document is being updated regularly in a bid to ensure that all the information is accurate to enable UK Club members to liaise with charterers and local agents for planning crew changes. Countries, and their current requirements, are listed alphabetically to make a simple, easy to use guide. The four simple questions to Club correspondents on the document are:

 

  • Are routine crew changes permitted in your port?
  • If they are allowed, are there any restrictions in do so? (e.g. Mandatory Covid-19 tests, quarantine requirements etc.).
  • Are crewmembers that are either sick or injured permitted to be disembarked in your port?
  • If they are allowed, are there any restrictions in doing so? (e.g. Mandatory Covid-19 tests, quarantine requirements etc.)

The Guide can be downloaded from the Club website and if members have any questions they can contact the Club’s Correspondents Manager – Neil Beckwith or their usual Club contact.