Singapore allows special circumstances for crew changes

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has relaxed its prohibition on crew changes and has thus become one of the first port administrations in the world to allow limited changes for international crews. In...

The Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) has relaxed its prohibition on crew changes and has thus become one of the first port administrations in the world to allow limited changes for international crews. In a circular issued 27 March, MPA said that it recognises the critical role that seafarers play in global seaborne trade, acknowledging there are special circumstances where crew will need to disembark or embark the ship. These include (a) cases where the crew have served their maximum time onboard and no further extension of employment contracts are granted by the flag State; (b) compassionate grounds, e.g. death of a family members; or (c) cases where the crew is no longer medically fit to work onboard the ship. Requests would need supporting documentary evidence, a travel itinerary, a fit-to-travel certificate and assurance that the crew must be in good health for the last fourteen days before joining or leaving the ship and have not been in contact with a known or suspect case of COVID-19 in those fourteen days. The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) earlier called upon UN agencies, including IMO, ILO, UNCTAD and the World Health Organisation, to facilitate the movement and rapid changeover of ships’ crews.