With the crew change crisis showing no signs of going away – and likely to worsen as new travel bans are implemented – MSC has joined its peers across the maritime value chain worldwide and signed the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change.
This maritime initiative – a global coalition between over 300 companies and organisations - focuses on seafarers’ welfare with actions that will, amongst others, facilitate crew changes during the pandemic and the ongoing lockdowns.
Its objectives are to recognise seafarers as key workers and give them priority access to Covid-19 vaccinations, implement high-standard health protocols, increase collaboration between ship operators and charterers to facilitate crew changes, and ensure airline connectivity between key maritime hubs for seafarers.
“The urgent matter of facilitating seafarer repatriations and crew changes is a vital one that needs immediate attention,” said MSC CEO Soren Toft.
“MSC has engaged directly with intergovernmental bodies and officials in certain countries to address specific situations and as a result some have allowed crew change in their countries and have approved a standard of protocols to be followed.”
