Chief executive Guy Platten is calling on International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) members around the globe to come up with a collective solution to the restrictions on crew movement caused by coronavirus.
On Thursday, Platten is to host the first in a series of conference calls with the shipowner associations that make up ICS membership.
He wants the discussions to come to a “swift and effective solution” to the crew exchange problem.
“This meeting will not be a ‘one-off’, but the beginning of a series of regular conference calls with our national associations in response to the significant challenge facing the world, our seafarers and the global shipping community. We want to ensure that all the issues the industry is facing can be addressed together,” Platten said.
The crew transfer problem initially affected Chinese crew at the start of the coronavirus outbreak but has grown dramatically as an increasing number of states close their borders to try to stop the spread of the disease. Travel disruption has added to the problem.
Platten said shipping needs to get to grips with the problem now before it damages world trade.
'Particular concern'
“The issue of crew change that has arisen due to the coronavirus should be of particular concern to the international community. Every day, seafarers across the world are providing a front-line service to the global economy. Limitations on crew change have the potential to cause serious disruption to the flow of trade,” he said.
“Not only do we have a duty to ensure that global trade continues, but we also must ensure that the welfare of our seafarers is not jeopardised.”
The European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) has written to the European Council calling for seafarers to be exempted from European Union travel bans.
“The industry urges flexibility and assistance so as to help seafarers to continue to operate ships and be allowed to leave and return to their homes so that crew reliefs can continue to be effected,” it wrote.
“We therefore call for seafarers to be exempted from national travel bans so that they can join their ships and keep the supply lines operating.”
The ECSA said crew members should be treated pragmatically when returning home from vessels.
“In these critical moments, much like medical staff and security forces, seafarers are key workers and need governments to recognise them as such and afford them special consideration,” it said.
