COVID-19: Maritime trade recommendations

The recommendations address access to berths in ports, measures to facilitate crew changes in ports, measures to facilitate port operations and measures to ensure health protection in ports, amongst other issues.

“The paramount importance of keeping the supply chain running cannot be understated,” said Angus Frew, BIMCO secretary general and chief executive. “BIMCO strongly encourages flag states and port states to make use of the recommendations to ensure ships and their crews can continue to serve the needs of nation states.”

The COVID-19 outbreak, which started in January, has spiralled to pandemic proportions. The continued spread of the virus has caused governments across the world to impose severe precautionary restrictions such as declaring general State of Emergency, lockdown and closing borders.

Measures put in place to halt the spread of the virus have resulted in reducing border mobility and obstructions to the essential flow of international trade. Closed borders and restrictions to foreigners have made it difficult to perform scheduled crew changes, conduct surveys or repair essential onboard equipment.

As a result, classifications societies are looking into guidance on remote surveying to keep the ships sailing. Furthermore, various flag states are issuing guiding notes to the industry on flexibility to labour contracts and pragmatic extension to expired certificates.