BIMCO is joining the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) in a call to encourage shipping companies or masters to fill in a Crew Change Report Form launched by ICS and thereby help encouraging Governments to facilitate crew change throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

At the moment, 1.2 million seafarers are on over 55,000 ships across the world ensuring that global supply chains stay open and countries are kept supplied with essentials such as food, fuel, raw materials and the supply of vital medical equipment.

To keep supply chains running globally, it is essential that crew change is made possible. Crew change has been, and still is, limited due to world-wide restrictions implemented by governments in an attempt to prevent the Covid-19 pandemic from spreading further and contain the outbreak.

Every month 200,000 seafarers alternate to ensure safe and sustainable working standards but due to the current restrictions, seafarers are trapped onboard ships.

ICS has launched a survey to collect information on the ability of ships to conduct crew changes during the pandemic. The survey will help ICS encourage governments to implement the International Maritime Organization (IMO) recommended framework protocols for ensuring safe ship crew changes (Circular Letter No.4204/Add.14 of 5 May 2020) and facilitate crew changes throughout the pandemic in as many ports as possible.

BIMCO therefore encourages shipping companies or masters to complete the form for every successful or unsuccessful crew change attempted during the pandemic.
Source: BIMCO