Officers union Nautilus International is raising concerns that restrictions on crew exchange, caused by measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus, are turning into a major safety issue for shipping.
Nautilus secretary general Mark Dickinson said that he fears the crew exchange clampdown in many countries is leading to fatigue among seafarers and will inevitably result in more accidents at sea.
The concerns are being raised as more companies seek to postpone crew exchange and extend employment contracts as the only way of overcoming the travel and quarantine restrictions.
Dickinson said: “Those crew who have had their trips extended will be increasingly frustrated and fatigued. Unless action is taken soon to allow seafarers to sign off there will inevitably be an increase in accidents."
Studies undertaken by Nautilus and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) indicate that fatigue is a major cause of casualties.
Dickinson urged shipowners and managers to not always simply take the easiest option of extending contracts.
“Extending tour lengths further should not be a decision taken lightly and must not be done simply because the alternatives are thought to be too difficult,” he said.
Dickinson is adding his voice to the chorus of calls from shipping associations for national governments to relax restrictions on crew exchange so crew can go home at the end of their contracted period of employment.
Dickinson asked: “Where can crew changes happen? What measures need to be put in place to facilitate repatriation? Who will organise it, what will it cost and who will pay? We need answers to these questions urgently."
“Governments need to support the industry to get seafarers moving again and they need to do it now,” he demanded.
Nautilus has also added a frequently asked questions section to its website to address seafarers’ concerns during the current coronavirus outbreak.
The questions range from a seafarers' right to refuse to join a vessel that is trading to an area where Covid-19 infections are widespread, to seafarers rights if they become infected.
