Crew Changes & COVID-19 in India

What challenges and restrictions do shipowners/operators face when arranging crew changes in India, and how have your local contacts helped to ease the situation?

Carrying out crew change operations at Indian Ports under the prevailing COVID-19 conditions is a challenge for port agents representing the interests of ship owners/operators and management companies. Most States in India are under lockdown, with strict regulations by local bodies at Containment Zones. Basic mobility is restricted, making attendance difficult as special permissions are required, and timing restrictions have to be adhered to.

Government bodies (Ministry of Shipping / DG Shipping) have formulated Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and protocols to be strictly complied with by all agents. While this helps facilitate controlled crew changes at Indian Ports, it also presents a challenge due to the tough conditions.

GAC India is well versed with the protocols, and our good contacts have helped to train our staff to handle crew matters in the ‘new normal’ way of operations.

Our operations teams take every effort, every day, to work with various entities including Port Authorities, Customs, Immigration, Port Health/Quarantine/State & District Health authorities, etc. We have obtained numerous approvals to carry out operations seamlessly and have established strong connections with medical laboratories for coronavirus tests, institutional Quarantine Centers and hotels for lodging requirements, transport operators for transit to hometowns, and RPSL/Manning Agents for DGS permissions. Those strong connections helps us ensure the safe changeover of Indian seafarers, whether returning home or arriving to board a ship.

We also provide specialised services for crew arriving by chartered flights, as we are handling large numbers coming into certain cities for onward travel after quarantine. Considering the huge numbers arriving at a time, the required liaison and preparation prior to and post arrival has been a new learning curve.

As crew changes involve seafarers both signing-on and signing-off, different procedures have to be followed and contact with crew members increases the exposure of attending GAC personnel. Extra precautions are being taken to protect them, including quarantine to prevent risks of communal spread.

How many crew change operations have you successfully executed since COVID-19 lockdowns started?

GAC India provides crew change services alongside berths, anchorages and airports, each with different challenges. To date, we have handled changes of approximately 4,000 crew members.

Are there any specific crew change examples you wish to highlight?

Every call is different with new challenges and lessons learned. One new service we have provided is the handling of larger numbers arriving at airports for dedicated chartered flights, following disembarkation.

Handling the first crew change in Cochin involved the greatest number of crew changed in a single operation since the lockdown began. We also coordinated a emergency evacuation of an injured crew member which was made more complicated by the restrictions in place.

We are now gearing up for the serious challenge when crew test positive for COVID-19. They need to be immediately moved to isolation areas or Government hospitals for further treatments and any attending GAC personnel who may have been exposed will have to enter mandatory quarantine.

There is great uncertainty around the COVID-19 pandemic; how long it will last, and what its impact will be. How are you managing this from a crew change and lay-ups perspective? What are your expectations for the coming months?

As per records maintained by the Ministry, as many as 4,500+ Indian seafarers have already joined various ships, arriving Indian ports, while close to 7,300+ have disembarked between 23 March and mid-June. These figures will rise as crew change operations continue.

The Port of Mumbai has been the top Indian port for crew changes, followed by Cochin and Gujarat ports (Source -update from the Director General of Shipping, Mumbai).

Since 19 May, chartered flights arranged by ship managers, cruise operators, crewing companies and Vande Bharat Mission flights operated by Air India have been part of the operations to bring back Indian seafarers stranded in various locations worldwide.

The ongoing pandemic, resultant lockdowns and various travel restrictions have all adversely impacted the maritime Industry in terms of crew Change and repatriation. With India accounting for around 12% of the world’s seafarers and many still stranded at various locations, we expect this to continue for some time, until international flights to and from India resume.

Is there anything else you wish to add?

We understand that in many countries, seafarers may be viewed as COVID-19 carriers. This ‘superstition’ is misguided as ship’s crew have to follow strict social distancing and safety norms and have no outside contacts beyond a limited number of people on the vessel. It would help if steps were taken to ensure their physical and mental wellbeing. In India, this need has been recognised and we consider the mandatory 14 days quarantine to begin from the ship’s last port of call. Thus, disembarking crew only need to spend the remaining days at the Indian port being allowed to proceed to their hometown.

With all the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, all countries should provide corridors for the safe passage to seafarers at their ports, especially to help those in distress speedily evacuate and reunite with their families.

For the latest updates about COVID-19 status/measures and the impact on shipping, including crew changes, in countries around the world, go to www.gac.com/coronavirus.