Intercargo is calling on countries around the world to give seafarers priority in their Covid-19 vaccination programs.
“As key workers, seafarers should be included in the early stages of a nation’s vaccination program,” Intercargo chairman Dimitris Fafalios said.
“As a key element in the drive to reboot the world’s economy, seafarers should receive vaccinations quickly and efficiently.
“We welcome new initiatives from national authorities and industry bodies to facilitate this and urge that these new initiatives be brought forward and trialled as a matter of urgency, so that seafarers can once again travel safely between their home and their ships, and undertake port operations without the fear of infection,” he said.
Intercargo secretary general Kostas Gkonis told TradeWinds that any such programme should be carried out in the home country of each seafarer.
“It is equally important that there are worldwide acceptable Covid-19 vaccination certificates, so that a seafarer’s vaccination in his home country ‘x’ would not be challenged or put in doubt when calling in country ‘y’,” he said.
Intercargo said it was now time for the World Health Organization to work in the direction of an worldwide acceptable Covid-19 vaccination certificate, on paper and electronically, and for the “unique situation our seafarers face” to be recognised.
Several countries such as the UK, Russia and China have begun Covid-19 vaccination programmes, but these have so far been restricted to the most vulnerable to the virus, such as the elderly and workers in the health sector.
Intercargo said it was of “grave concern” that at least 3% of all seafarers on board ships will be spending a second Christmas at sea and an estimated 20% of all seafarers are still not relieved upon completion of their regular contracts, despite flights becoming available.
In a United Nations resolution adopted on 1 December, the UN general assembly called on member states to designate seafarers and other marine personnel as "key workers".
It also called on them to implement relevant measures to allow stranded seafarers to be repatriated and others to join ships, and to ensure access to medical care.
