Government Paves Way For Return Of Seafarers Amid COVID-19, Issues Guidelines For Crew Change

Government has come out with guidelines for change of crew at Indian ports (Representational)

The government has come out with guidelines for change of crew at Indian ports, a move that will put an end to hardships faced by stuck seafarers and pave way for them to return to their homes.

Under the standard operating procedure (SOP), any seafarer would be allowed sign-on at the port of embarkation only after test for COVID-19 is found negative, failing which action as per guidelines of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare would be taken.

Shipping Minister Mansukh Lal Mandaviya on Wednesday in a statement said, "Crew change at sea ports will be possible now with the issuance of the SOP by the Ministry of Home Affairs. This will put an end to hardships faced by thousands of seafarers."

"Change of crew of ship (seafarers) is an important measure for operation of merchant ships. The Ministry of Home Affairs has issued SOP... This SOP has been formulated to streamline the sign-on/sign-off of Indian seafarers at Indian ports for merchant shipping vessels," the shipping ministry said in the statement.

For sign-on, ship owner and recruitment and placement service (RPS) agency will identify the Indian seafarers for joining a vessel, according to the SOP.

"The seafarers will intimate their travel and contact history for last 28 days to the ship owner /RPS agency by e-mail, as per the procedure laid down by DGS (Directorate General of Shipping). The seafarer would be examined by a DGS-approved medical examiner, as per the guidelines prescribed for this purpose. At the same time, the seafarer shall also be screened, and his travel and contact history examined for the last 28 days," according to the SOP.

Local authorities in the area where the seafarer resides will be intimated about his clearance for sign-on and for issue of a transit pass from the place of residence to the place of embarkation on the shipping vessel, it said.

"The transit pass for such movement by road, for the seafarer and one driver, may be issued by the government of the state/union territory where the seafarer resides. The transit pass (to and fro) will be issued for a fixed route and with specified validity and will have to be adhered to strictly. Such transit pass would be honoured/ allowed by the authorities of the state/ union territory along the transit route," it added.

It said that social distancing and other hygiene norms, as per standard health protocol, would be followed by the vehicle transporting the seafarer to his destination.
Likewise, for sign-off, the master of a vessel, coming from any foreign port, or a coastal vessel from any Indian port, while arriving at its port of call in India, shall ascertain the state of health of each person on board the vessel and submit the Maritime Declaration of Health to the health authorities of the port and to the port authorities.

In addition, the information required by the local health authorities of the port, such as temperature chart and individual health declaration, shall also be provided by the master as per the directives of the health authorities of the port.

Port health authorities shall grant pratique to the vessel prior to berthing as per necessary health protocols.

"The Indian seafarer arriving on the vessel would undergo the COVID-19 test for confirmation that he/she is negative for COVID-19. After disembarking and till the time the seafarer reaches the testing facility, within the port premises, it will be ensured by the ship owner that all safety precautions as per standard health protocol are observed," as per the SOP.

The statement said if the seafarer is found negative of COVID-19 and signed off, the local authorities in the area where the seafarer disembarks will be intimated about his/ her clearance for sign-off, and for issue of a transit pass from the place of disembarkation to the place of his/ her residence.

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