BIMCO Covid 19 Weekly Report

Overview

The BIMCO Maritime Information department informs members on a weekly basis, updates about the COVID-19 in relation to implementation measures imposed by governments for sea transport including for crew change as well as from the United Nation bodies like the International Maritime Organization (IMO), World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO).

BIMCO provides the following update for this week ending Friday, 20 August 2021.

1. IMO

The below circulars represent the latest information to-date from the IMO.

• Addendum no.4/Rev.3 to IMO circular no. 4204, issued on 16 July 2021, providing a further update to the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS)’s guidance for ship operators relating to the protection of the health of seafarers.
• Addendum no. 35/rev. 7 , issued on 20 May 2021, provides a consolidated list of the IMO members that have so far notified IMO on their designation of seafarers as key workers. The list is shown below:

2. IMO Crew Change – National Focal Point for Crew Change and Repatriation of Seafarers

As per our BIMCO news of 12th April, the IMO has discontinued the issue of the IMO circular in series: MSC.7/circ. 1 relating to government states informing the IMO of their national focal point for crew change and repatriation of seafarers. Instead, the IMO’s online Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) will be used to contain such information.

According to GISIS today, the list of countries (45) informing the IMO of their national focal point of contact for crew change and repatriation of seafarers are: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, the Cook Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, Montenegro, Myanmar, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Singapore (new), Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand , Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Vanuatu.

Earlier reference of the MSC.7/circ.1 : our implementation page.

3. Government States

Italy

Via an IMO circular letter no. 4231/Add.22, the Government of Italy advised that due to the improved COVID-19 situation resulting in increased mobility, the extension of the two-year medical medical certification for seafarers will be suspended from 1st October 2021.

Ukraine

The Government of Ukraine has advised, via an IMO circular letter no. 4232/Add.12 of the following :

• Validity of seafarer’s CoC and CoP certificates including SEA – extended till 31 December 2021
• Medical certificates of seafarers – expired medical certificates allowed for maximum of three months.
• Seafarer’s identity document – extended to 31 December 2021 for those expiring on or after 1 March 2020.

4. Others

There is no news issued under this section.

5. BIMCO

BIMCO General COVID-19 Links

BIMCO is continuously monitoring COVID-19 restrictions and its impact on the shipping industry in particular on crew changes. Below are some of the type of information currently being provided by BIMCO :

• Details about implementation measures imposed for sea transport
• Overview of challenges to crew mobility
• Overview of extensions and exceptions to seafarers’ certificates
• COVID-19 seafarers’ mental health
• You can also view all information on our COVID-19 landing page.
  Source: BIMCO