Ince's Julian Clark wants shipping to act now to make sure the current pandemic chaos has not been in vain.
A major priority is now vaccinating seafarers, the group's senior global partner told TradeWinds.
"Thank God there's a vaccine, but I'm concerned about what Anthony Fauci [director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases] said in the States — we're entering the age of the pandemic, unfortunately; this is not going to be the last.
"We can't drop the ball and get hit by the next one, having done nothing."
Clark would like to see the industry pulling together to lobby governments, working with the aviation industry to build travel corridors and prioritising vaccines.
Bulker owners' association Intercargo has said seafarers have to be treated as key workers and vaccinated as a result.
"We've got to start thinking about getting the building blocks in place for the next pandemic," Clark added.
Support networks needed
Ince partner Rachel Butlin told TradeWinds that support networks are key for crew welfare, so that mariners can talk and express themselves.
"With seafarers, it tends to be other seafarers who they want to talk to," she said.
Clark pointed to the Sailors' Society's new Ship Connect programme to link up 12,000 crew members to mental health support.
He has talked to the charity's head of fundraising, Chris Hirst, to suggest Ince help out with "like talking to like".
Clark said law firms all have mariners on the staff, with 11 at Ince alone.
"Could we offer that service, so that mariner could speak to a mariner?" he asked. "It's time we gave back."
Governments are being lobbied to adopt a uniform approach to crew welfare, Butlin said.
Doctors are now able to make medical diagnoses over video, but still some crew members cannot leave their vessels to be treated for serious conditions or injuries.
"Captains and owners are making heroic attempts trying to get medevacs, but they are being refused due to Covid restrictions," Butlin said.
This happens even when the crew member does not have Covid-19 and there is none on board.
"The logistics of a vaccine for seafarers is going to be a massive challenge," she said.
