DNV to audit Covid-safe crew changes

CrewSafe is the creation of the Singapore Shipping Tripartite Alliance Resilience Fund Task Force and is based on Singapore’s crew change model to establish safe crew change corridors.

DNV is one of the appointed auditors for the programme which comprises quality checks on quarantine/holding, medical and swabbing facilities in countries engaged in crew supply. The company has already completed 15 audits at facilities located in Singapore, the Philippines and India.

“DNV is fully supporting and facilitating this programme as seafarers are the true backbone of our global industry,” commented DNV Maritime chief executive Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen. “Seafarers need to be fully recognised as key workers and CrewSafe is one such programme fostering a higher level of confidence and quality control checks in the crew change processes.”

Fatigue, despair, depression and mental health concerns among those at sea are now threatening marine safety, he said. “The ongoing crew change crisis shows that international problems need international solutions,” said Mr Ørbeck-Nilssen.

Quah Ley Hoon, chief executive of Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore said that Singapore took its responsibility to facilitate safe crew change seriously and welcomed DNV on board, as did Michael Phoon, executive director of Singapore Shipping Association who said that DNV’s stringent audit checks would help ensure that quarantine and testing requirements are fully met.