The BIMCO Maritime Information department informs members on a weekly basis, updates about the COVID-19 in relation to implementation measures imposed by governments for sea transport including for crew change as well as from the United Nation bodies like the International Maritime Organization (IMO), World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO).
BIMCO provides the following update for this week ending Friday, 18 June 2021.
The below circulars were issued in our COVID-19 report of 21 May and are published here again presenting the latest information to-date from the IMO.
As per our BIMCO news of 12th April, the IMO has discontinued the issue of the IMO circular in series: MSC.7/circ. 1 relating to government states informing the IMO of their national focal point for crew change and repatriation of seafarers. Instead, the IMO's online Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) will be used to contain such information.
According to GISIS today, the list of countries (44) informing the IMO of their national focal point of contact for crew change and repatriation of seafarers are: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Cook Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Ireland (new), Israel, Italy, Jamaica, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, Montenegro, Myanmar, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand , Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Vanuatu.
Earlier reference of the MSC.7/circ.1 : our implementation page.
According to information provided by Proinde as derived from ordinance 654/2011, flights originating or passing through the following countries are prohibited:
Meanwhile, the ordinance does not prohibit the disembarkation of "maritime crew for medical assistance or for connection of air return to the country of origin related to operational issues or the termination of employment contract".
According to information provided by GAC Hot Port News, the Movement Control Order has allegedly prohibited crew change in Malaysia, which appears to be in contradiction with the Malaysia Shipping Notice 1/2021 as outlined in the implementation page.
According to information provided by GAC Hot Port News, the Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority has issued a revised list of Category C countries, banning these countries from entry to Pakistan, unless an exception can be provided by National Command and Control Centre.
The list includes the following:
1.The Maritime Port Authority of Singapore ( MPA) announced the following to be effective on 17 June 2021:
Changes to Sea Crew Handing/Taking Over at T1 Arrival Hall at Singapore Changi Airport
To ensure SMMs (safe management measures) are adhered to within the designated area, ship/transport agents are to account for their crew and leave the area immediately. Should there be a need for any other processing (e.g. photo taking), the ship/transport agent are to do it at their vehicles after they exit the terminal building. We would also like to remind that the dedicated boarding point for ship crew today is at T1 Coach Stand. Ship/transport agents are only allowed to park their vehicles at the dedicated boarding point to ensure there is no deviation in route to other areas within the airport.
There is no news issued under this section.
BIMCO is continuously monitoring COVID-19 restrictions and its impact on the shipping industry in particular on crew changes. Below are some of the type of information currently being provided by BIMCO :
You can also view all information on our COVID-19 landing page.
Veritas Petroleum Services (VPS) publish regular Bunker Alerts based entirely on fuel samples and have kindly permitted BIMCO’s Members to access this information.
The Bunker Alerts are not intended to be an evaluation of overall bunker quality in the port or area concerned, but usually highlight a specific parameter within the fuel which has raised a quality issue.
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