13 governments pledge to help shipping companies conduct crew changes

Governments from across the world have pledged to urgently resolve issues for seafarers that have arisen due to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the critical need to continue conducting crew changes throughout the world.

At least 200,000 seafarers are estimated to require immediate repatriation in addition to a similar number of seafarers that urgently need to join their ships in order to allow the world’s internationally trading vessels to continue to operate safely.

Although seafarers’ tours of duty cannot continue to be extended and need to be kept to a duration of less than 12 months, as set out but the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, it is estimated that only about 25% of normal crew changes have taken place since March 2020.