IATA and ICS Call on Governments to Facilitate Ship Crew Changes

IATA and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) are jointly calling on governments to take urgent measures to facilitate crew change flights for seafarers.

Due to the COVID19 restrictions, seafarers are having to extend their service onboard ships after many months at sea, unable to be replaced following long tours of duty or return home.

Shipping is vital to the maintenance of global supply chains, but the current situation is unsustainable for the safety and wellbeing of ships’ crews and the safe operation of maritime trade.

Each month about 100,000 merchant seafarers need to be changed over from the ships on which they operate to ensure compliance with international maritime regulations protecting safety, health and welfare.

As a result of government-imposed travel restrictions due to COVID19, flights to repatriate or position marine personnel are unavailable. Immigration and health screening protocols are also hampering the ability of merchant ships to conduct vitally necessary crew changes.

“Seafarers are unsung heroes who everyday throughout this COVID19 crisis are going above and beyond the call of duty to ensure that countries are kept supplied with the goods they need,” said ICS Secretary General, Guy Platten. “We are working with the airlines to come forward with solutions. We now need governments to support our seafarers and facilitate safe passage for them to get home to loved ones and be replaced by crew members ready to keep supply chains open.”

ICS and IATA are calling on all governments to designate a specific and limited number of crew change airports for the safe movement and repatriation of crew. This would achieve critical mass for the resumption of crew change flights to these airports, keeping global supply chains open.

Priority airports should include those close to major shipping lanes which also have direct air connections to principal seafarer countries of residence, such as China, India and Philippines as well as destinations in western and eastern Europe.

IATA and ICS are working with their global regulators – the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) – on numerous recommendations to governments for standardized procedures and protocols for positioning crews whilst preventing the further spread of COVID19.

Alexandre de Juniac, IATA’s Director General and CEO, said, “Airlines have been required to cut passenger services in the fight to stop the spread of COVID19. But if governments identify airports that seafarers can use for crew changes and make appropriate adjustments to current health and immigration protocols, airlines can help keep global logistics moving.”

* By volume, some 90% of global trade is delivered by ship, including food, energy, raw materials and manufactured products.

* Airlines carry, in addition to passengers, some 35% of global trade by value, including critical medicines and medical supplies.

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