Risks of infection causing headaches over crew changes

TWO weeks ago this column highlighted the difficulties crewing agencies and vessel operators were having in enabling crew changes to take place because of the various effects of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Seafarers whose allotted periods of service were over could not return home and, conversely, seafarers whose spells of leave had finished could not get back to sea. In the latter cases, that generally meant they were not being paid. The general thrust of industry statements and of the column was that everything possible should be done to expedite crew changes.

No sooner had that column gone to print than a press release appeared arguing almost the opposite view.