THE organisation that represents ship-management companies has become so frustrated with how long it is taking to resolve the crew-change crisis and to make seafarers a priority group for vaccination against Covid-19 - that it has thus broken ranks with the main shipping bodies over the issue.

In a statement last week, InterManager said it will "work separately to obtain much-needed Covid-19 vaccines to protect the world's more than 1.5 million seafarers and thereby keep international trade routes open".

InterManager president Mark O'Neil said: "Global organisations have talked their way round in circles and still, we are no further forward in providing a vaccination programme for seafarers who are vital in ensuring that world trade and aid continues to be delivered.