China has issued new guidelines for changing crews at Chinese ports that would keep out foreign seafarers during the coronavirus pandemic.
Having prohibited seafarers from coming ashore to control the spread of Covid-19 since late January, the Ministry of Transport this week detailed the rules for crew changes in mainland China.
While the new regulation paves the way for Chinese seafarers for changing shifts, foreign crews are explicitly banned from China.
According to the ministry, Chinese seafarers can apply for entry into the country as long as they do not show any symptoms in the previous 14 days.
But shipping companies are not allowed to change crews of foreign nationalities, the ministry added. Also, cargo-carrying vessels are banned from bringing any non-crew members into Chinese ports.
In late March, five seafarers tested positive for Covid-19 on the 11,078-teu Gjertrud Maersk (built 2005) off Ningbo, one of the busiest ports in China.
The new rules are interpreted by some as even tighter than what was previously enforced in China.
“The earlier prohibition was a ‘ban in principle’ and Chinese ports actually had discretionary power to allow some changes,” said a Chinese ship agent.
“The outbreak was more serious in China, so the ports were relatively tighter on Chinese crews but some foreign crews were able to change shifts on a case-by-case basis.
“Now the central government has given the order so restrictions would be tighter for non-Chinese seafarers.”
While international organisations have called on governments to exempt seafarers from travel restrictions, changing crews remains difficult in many parts of the worlds.
In a circular letter issued on Tuesday, the IMO called on governments to designate professional seafarers and marine personnel as “key workers” providing an essential service regardless of their nationality.
According to secretary general Kitack Lim, it was "crucially important that the flow of commerce by sea should not be unnecessarily disrupted".
Seafarers are "on the front line of this global calamity" and that the situation needs a "practical and pragmatic approach, in these unusual times, to issues like crew changeovers, resupply, repairs, survey and certification and licensing of seafarers," Lim said.
