Most seafarers seem excited to be vaccinated but those who have yet to be jabbed could face problems.
V.Group chief executive of crewing and offshore Allan Falkenberg told TradeWinds that some charterers are now expecting 75% of crew members to be vaccinated, while the reported figure of immunised seafarers is far less.
"That's not going to help the situation," Falkenberg said of the possible labour shortage that some in the industry are predicting following the Covid-19 pandemic and crew-change crisis.
According to figures collected by the Neptune Declaration — sourced from 10 ship managers that signed on to the seafarer well-being pact and collectively employ more than 90,000 mariners — 41% have been vaccinated through to mid-November.
Managers began reporting figures in August, when just 15.3% of seafarers in the sample were vaccinated.
There have been considerable strides since then, with the figure rising to nearly 22% in September and 31.1% in October.
"That's worrying if charterers [are expecting those higher rates]," Falkenberg said.
He attributed the slow take-up of vaccination to reticence on the part of some seafarers and sourcing issues.
Jason Zuidema, executive director of the North American Maritime Ministry Association, said seafarer vaccination efforts kicked off in earnest in the US earlier this year, with a round of jabs provided to seafarers on board a ship in the Soo Locks in Michigan.
Then the cruise industry pushed to have its crews — many foreign — vaccinated.
Zuidema said that since then, at least 60,000 foreign seafarers have been vaccinated at US ports, not including cruise staff and those vaccinated by commercial providers.
"There's a really long way to go, but it's an amazing start," said Zuidema, who sits on an International Chamber of Shipping vaccination task force. "The number of parties involved in this all around the world is pretty amazing."
He said Chinese and Russian seafarers had been given jabs produced domestically and that the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine — the easiest way to get seafarers inoculated — is not available in Canada.
But when they do get the vaccines, "in many cases, it's like a party".
"With all due respect to those who have questions about vaccinations, etc, these seafarers are overjoyed to get this vaccine," Zuidema said. "It's really beautiful to see.
"The vast majority of times, it's almost universally a spirit of huge relief and joy."
