Taking precautions and carrying on despite Ebola

THE global shipping industry's response to the outbreak of the deadly Ebola virus in West Africa has been to do what long experience of deadly challenges has taught it: take reasonable precautions and carry on.

In September, once the scale of the health crisis had become clear the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) joined the international ad hoc Ebola Travel and Transport Task Force and is now working with other United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations to monitor the situation and provide timely information in response to the outbreak of the disease.

More recently IMO issued an infographic in six languages showing the precautions to be taken by vessels calling a ports in countries affected by the Ebola virus, backing its general advice to the shipping industry.