Updated COVID-19 measures

17 Mar 2020 / Sri Lanka

In response to developments related to COVID-19, the below measures have been taken by the Government and Port Officials in Sri Lanka, and is applicable to all ports of the country:

DISEMBARKATION PROCESS FOR SEA MARSHALS AND SHIP'S CREW (Foreigners & Sri Lankan Nationals)

  1. As per the letter issued by the Director General of health services, no crew member or a passenger of cruise/passenger ships is allowed to go ashore or disembark at any seaport in Sri Lanka.
  2. For all other vessels, disembarkation of any foreign Sea Marshal or crew member from the vessel will not be permitted if:
    (i) The vessel has called at a port in below-mentioned list of countries within 14 days, or
    (ii) If there is a Sea Marshal or crew member who has come from/ visited the below-mentioned list of countries within 14 days.
  3. If a Sri Lankan national is to be disembarked from such a vessel, he will be sent for compulsory quarantine for 14 days, from the date of disembarkation.
  4. For all vessels not included in the above category, disembarkation of foreign crew members are permitted subject to arrangements being made for their direct repatriation. When a sea marshal is disembarked and await for an onward vessel, he will have to be kept at the designated location (details will be provided soon) under supervision of Sri Lanka Navy. Sri Lankan nationals are permitted to disembark from such vessels subject to self-quarantine for 14 days.
  5. Transportation of Sea marshals and ship crew to quarantine or designated places should be arranged by the relevant agent under the supervision of Sri Lanka Navy. Quarantine guidelines to be followed at all times.

List of countries as at 16.03.2020 are South Korea, Iran, Italy, France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, Netherland, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, United Kingdom and Norway. The countries in the list will be changed according to the global trend of the disease and such changes will be communicated with relevant stakeholders in advance.

ISSUING OF SHORE PASSES
Crew members of all vessels will not be granted shore passes unless for medical reasons.

SUBMISSION OF HEALTH STATUS REPORTS
For all vessels calling any port of Sri Lanka (at berth, anchorage or OPL) it is mandatory for the vessel Master to disclose accurate and timely information regarding crew health, and submitted to Port Health office via GAC Agent. The declarations include
1. Health Status Report of the Vessel (within 12 -24 hours of Berth or OPL operations), and
2. Health Declaration Form for crew members.
This rule requires strict compliance and severely penalties will be imposed for any party providing false or incomplete information.

For further details and updates, or information about operations in Sri Lanka, contact GAC Sri Lanka at [email protected]

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

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