Forth Ports Marine Group: Coronavirus (COVID-19) guidance

11 Mar 2020 / Firth of Tay, United Kingdom

A Maritime Declaration of Health (MDH) is required for all vessels on arrival from a foreign port.

However, in response to this emerging situation regarding COVID-19, Health Protection Scotland and the Scottish Ports Liaison Network require that information be submitted to the Scottish Port Health Authority of the ports in the table below in the following cases irrespective of whether the vessel is arriving from a foreign port or another UK port:

  • CRUISE VESSELS
    ALL cruise vessels
  • CONTAINER AND CARGO VESSELS
    Where anyone on board the vessel has travelled from or via any current risk area or if they have been in close contact with confirmed case of COVID-19 infection within the 14 days prior to the vessel arriving in a Scottish Port.

The information we require is the same as that required in the current MDH and should therefore allow Port Authority to establish:

  • Any persons unwell during the voyage and/ or on arrival, and any sanitary measures taken in response to that illness
  • Origin of the ship, when it left the origin port, and all ports where the vessel has docked during the 14 days prior to arrival
  • Any crew changes involving people from risk areas

We ask that the master of the vessel submit the information using the current MDH form, where possible, for convenience…

…Where a port operator or ship’s agent receives notice that there are ill persons on a vessel then:

If the suspected case is a medical emergency, you must call 999 for medical assistance and you must inform attending services that the case has originated from a COVID-19 risk area or has had contact with a confirmed case. DO NOT disembark the patient or arrange alternative transport to a hospital until advised to do so. Also ask the Harbour Master to inform the NHS Public Health (local Health Protection Team) and the Port Health Authority (the local authorities).

If the suspected case is not seriously ill you must notify the relevant NHS Health Protection Team on (See list below). Contact details for the case must be provided with sufficient information to allow the Health Protection Team to determine follow up action. This will include symptoms, duration, contacts and travel history. DO NOT disembark the suspected case…

…The following are the contact details for submitting your Maritime Declaration of Health: The MDH should be sent electronically to both email addresses.

Port of Dundee
- FTNS:
Tel No. 01324 498584 or 498586 / Email address: forth&[email protected]
- Port Health:
Tel No. 01382 432424 / Email address: [email protected]

Radio Channel for Harbourmaster: Channel 12

(For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in the United Kingdom, contact GAC UK at [email protected])

Source: Forth Ports Limited Notice to Mariners No.07 of 2020 dated 6 March 2020

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