Amended protocol for vessel operations

The Mauritius Ministry of Health and Wellness has issued amended guidelines and steps to be taken during port operations on board of cargo vessel at berth.

All vessels arriving at the port of Port Louis are considered at a high risk.

All agents must submit by email at [email protected] the following information 24 hours before the arrival of any vessel at Port Louis harbour:
(i) The Maritime Declaration of Health;
(ii) Port of calls
(iii) Crew list, which shall include last crew change date
(iv) Any shore leave in the last ports
(v) A report, which includes a list of all crew members with their body temperature just before the report's delivery.
(vi) In case of crew change during the last 14 days any results of PCR test for COVID-19 and any undertaking by ship Master.

Green light will be granted on condition that the information provided satisfies the Port Health Authority, including no crew change or shore leave during the last 14 days prior to ETA and the vessel will be allowed to enter port limits for free pratique.

Green light will not be granted to vessel where there is crew change without a negative PCR COVID-19 test at most five days prior to embarkation on the vessel or shore leave in the last 14 days prior to ETA.

Green light can be granted to vessel where there is crew change with a negative PCR COVID-19 test at most five days prior to embarkation on the vessel and the crew must have boarded the vessel directly from the airport.

Green light can be granted to vessel where there is crew change with a negative PCR COVID-19 test at most five days prior to embarkation on the vessel and the crew did not board the vessel directly from the airport, provided the said crew remain confined on board segregated from the other crew. In such cases, the Master of the vessel must take a written undertaking that said crew had been effectively segregated from the other crew and the undertaking must be forwarded the Port Health Authority during request for green light.

Boarding of the vessel for free pratique will be carried out outside harbour by Port Health Authority only. A service boat shall be provided by agent to the Port Health Authority to clear the vessel outside harbour. The service boat operators shall comply fully with all precautionary measures related to COVID-19 including wearing of face mask. During boarding, all crew members shall wear face masks and rubber gloves.

Temperature of all crew members will be taken and recorded on the arrival crew list.

If the Port Health Authority is satisfied free pratique will be given and order the ship Master on-board to lower the yellow flag.

If the Port Health Authority is not satisfied and suspects an infectious disease on board, he/she will contact the Regional Public Health Superintendent on call for protocol COVID-19 to be initiated and maintained yellow flag, while vessel will remain outside harbour.

Once protocol will be completed, free pratique will be given and yellow flag will be lowered.

Harbour radio will be immediately informed of the time free pratique will be granted.

After Port Health Authority completed all formalities and left the vessel, pilot will come on board to berth the vessel.

Once at berth, crew members will be required to remain in their rooms during operational activities, except those involved in specific activities such as unlashing of containers, connecting of hose and crane maneuvering. They should be equipped with the proper personal protective equipment (PPE).

Each vessel will have to assign a contact person to coordinate with the port staff. This contact person will be required to wear the proper PPE.

Inoperative vessels at berth and anchorage must lift the vessel ramp, gangway or pilot ladder.

During the vessel's stay in the port, a representative must be appointed on behalf of the shipping agent / shipping company to ensure that the vessel's crew remains on the vessel.

No shore leave/crew change will be allowed for crew members. For vessels servicing outer islands only Mauritian crew members may have shore leave or signing off, whereas foreign crew members may only have shore leave. For other vessels, signing off only of crew members can be considered on a case to case basis provided they have a negative PCR COVID-19 test at most five days prior to signing off.

Shore leave or signing off for sick crew member requiring medical attention will be considered on a case to case basis on terms and conditions imposed by the Port Health Authority:
(i) A Doctor of the Ministry Of Health and Wellness will visit patient accompanied by an officer of the Public Health and Authority.
(ii) In case patient need to be disembarked for further treatment, he must be admitted to a public hospital after authorization from the Port Health Authority.
(iii) The agency shall be responsible to arrange for the transportation of the patient from the vessel to the public hospital under the supervision of the Port Health Authority .
(iv) The vessel will have to remain in port during treatment of patient in hospital.
(v) After treatment of patient, the latter shall go back on board and leave with the vessel.
(vi) In case patient needs a long medical treatment, vessel may leave port provided patient remain in hospital. In such case, once patient is fit to fly he must be taken from hospital directly to airport under the supervision of the Port Health Authority to leave the country.

Stowaways or passengers may not disembark.

With the exception of Port Authorities no ship chandler, visitors, agents, or surveyors will be allowed on board, except where specifically required and authorised. Only stevedores essentials for operations at berth will be allowed on board vessel and should be restricted to the minimum.

Sanitizer hand cleaner/hand washing facility shall be placed close to the gangway. A foot dip containing a mat soak in 0.5% chlorine solution shall be placed at vessel access point. Face mask/gloves shall be made available to those allowed on board of these vessels. Distance of 2 meters to be imposed when working on deck between stevedores and crew members responsible for unlashing of containers.

Records of all those allowed on board should be documented (name, organization, home address, mobile number) and agent will have to submit the information by mail to the Port Health Authority before expected time of departure of the vessel.

Health of crew member of vessel at berth will be monitored daily by the Port Health Authority.

In case of a sick crew member on a vessel, the information should be forwarded to the Port Health Authority on 52517473/59436271.

The above measures can be amended anytime during implementation.

(For information about operations in Mauritius, contact the GAC Dubai Hub Agency Centre at [email protected])

Source: Celero Shipping, Port Louis – GAC agent