As shipowners’ focus turns to disruption caused by the Ukraine war, Intercargo has warned the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic have not gone away just yet.
The bulker association’s chairman Dimitrios Fafalios said in a statement on Monday that the shipping industry is facing its own version of “long Covid”, the symptoms that persist after the infection has left the body.
Fafalios, also president of Fafalios Shipping, said he was speaking out after receiving warnings from his members.
“Seafarers worldwide continue to face major issues with crew change, port entry and changing vaccination requirements,” he added.
New waves of infection continue to affect ports, and once again owners are observing local authorities creating their own interpretation of the rules, the chairman continued.
“This is happening today at ports around the world, and governments and administrations seem not to have learned the lessons of the past two years, as they move to a post-Covid agenda,” Fafalios said.
Intercargo is concerned that the crisis in Ukraine has distracted from the very real shockwaves that are still affecting the maritime sector as a result of the pandemic.
In several ports globally, seafarers are finding access to shore leave restricted, and in some cases are finding it difficult to access non-emergency medical assistance, the association said.
Intercargo is urging consideration by national governments at the highest level so that the issue remains at the top of their agenda.
Fafalios said: “The situation is ongoing and requires pan-industry commitment.”
Efforts must not stop
He added: “Our efforts to highlight the plight of the seafarer must not stop, and the industry must never consider what is happening to seafarers today in any way normal.”
TradeWinds has reported how operators are also dealing with the effects on crewing of the Russian invasion.
Dutch crewing agency Boers Crew Services (BCS) said Russians make up 10% of the global seafaring workforce and Ukrainians about 4%.
But the visa situation has now changed for Russian crew members.
No visas are currently being issued should their current documents expire within a Schengen country in Europe.
If a Russian crew member wants to return home, visas can be issued only via the UK or Turkey outside the Schengen region.
“Many Russian seafarers are trying to extend their contracts to avoid travelling back home. The problem is, once they do return home, they will be unable to leave again because of the complications they will face applying for a new visa, which in turn means they will lose their job,” BCS said.
