The Joint Negotiating Group (JNG) representing employers and the International Transport Federation (ITF) representing seafarers unions urged the government to follow the IMOs Circular No.4204 for the realization of crew changes.
The backlog has created around 150, 000 seafarers stranded who finished their contracts in the first quarter of 2020. According to the JNG and ITF, the lack of crew change can no longer continue since this could be potentially dangerous to the health and well being of seafarers.
“Seafarers‘ fatigue should not be underestimated and the social partners therefore agreed to not extend the contracts, but to support an implementation period of no longer than 30 days (up until 15 June 2020) so that governments have time to implement the framework of protocols as set out in the IMO Circular Letter” the joint statement said.
Agreement Reached:
- To support a transition period for governments and employers to implement the IMO issued framework of protocols, allowing up to 30 days starting from 15 May 2020 to ensure safe facilitation of crew changes takes place;
- That companies will consider, if financially viable and possible, to financially acknowledge every seafarer whose employment contract has expired, but who has continued to work;
- That companies will consider, if financially viable and possible, to provide seafarers waiting to be deployed an advance salary payment;
- That companies will, where possible, provide seafarers with extra bandwidth and internet access to be able to communicate with home; and
- That, when crew change commences, those seafarers who have been on-board the longest will be prioritized and repatriated first regardless of rank.
The JNG (comprising of International Maritime Employers Council, International Mariners Management Association of Japan, Korean Shipowners Association and Evergreen) and the ITF(representing 215 seafarers unions and their 1 million members) agreed twice to extend the seafarers’ contracts in order to keep them safe from exposure to Covid-19 and also appreciating the enormity of the challenges this global pandemic poses in terms of travel restrictions and flights availability.
If crew change will not happen…
The JNG and ITF want to alert Flag States, P & I Clubs, Operators and Charterers that in the event crew change will not happen by mid-June, the result of stress related sickness and the inability to access adequate medical services ashore can negatively impact the safe operation of maritime trade.
Access the joint statement here.
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