Plea to comply with crew change regulations

21 Jul 2020 / Singapore

In the past week, there are fresh cases of crew arriving in Singapore with COVID-19 symptoms which they eventually been tested positive.

Alarmingly the crews, upon arrival, projected severe high temperatures, which also prompted further actions in contact tracing. This has led to some 15-20 other persons having to be contacted/quarantined for further checks.

There is a clear and present pattern whereby seafarers (individually) and crew & manning operators/companies, are not seriously taking the protocol of self-imposed isolation (minimal of 14 days) when being rostered for crew change.

With the crews possessing smartphones, it is not a high bar to set, or a difficult process, to get crew & manning operators/companies to exercise rigour and due diligence in ensuring the rostered crews are indeed observing a self-isolation period…

…I would like to impress upon on the following:

  • All companies who have full and direct control of their crewing and manning matters are to ensure that they are able to demonstrate that the procedures and especially the SHN-procedures are adhered to in the crew country of origin. Companies must also be able to demonstrate that they have fully briefed their crew, agents etc on the Singapore crew change procedures
  • Understandably, some companies would have to rely on third-party crew & manning companies. For these companies, you must ensure that the Singapore crew change process are clearly communicated to these third-party crew and manning companies, and that they are followed thoroughly.

Should there be breaches found, companies (ship agents, operators, managers, owners) would be penalised accordingly by the authorities. Furthermore, continued incidences of crews who are screened positive for Covid19, will lead to a complete shutdown of crew changes in Singapore…

…Singapore currently does not allow any returning of short-term pass holders back in Singapore but crew change is a concession given to the industry as Singapore recognises the importance and our responsibility as an international maritime centre…

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

Source: Singapore Shipping Association update dated 21 July 2020

If quoting any content from Hot Port News, please cite GAC Hot Port News as the source.

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