The BIMCO Maritime Information department informs members on a weekly basis, updates about the COVID-19 in relation to implementation measures imposed by governments for sea transport including for crew change as well as from the United Nation bodies like the International Maritime Organization (IMO), World Health Organization (WHO) and International Labour Organization (ILO).
 

BIMCO provides the following update for this week ending Friday, 28 May 2021.
 

1. IMO

 

 

2. IMO Crew Change - National Focal Point for Crew Change and Repatriation of Seafarers 

 

As per our BIMCO news of 12th April, the IMO has discontinued the issue of the IMO circular in series: MSC.7/circ. 1 relating to government states informing the IMO of their national focal point for crew change and repatriation of seafarers. Instead, the IMO's online Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) will be used to contain such information. 
 

According to GISIS today, the list of countries  (42) informing the IMO of their national focal point of contact for crew change and repatriation of seafarers are: Antigua and Barbuda, Australia, the Bahamas, Bangladesh, Belgium,  Brazil, Canada, the Cook Islands, Cyprus, Dominica, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, the Marshall Islands, Mexico, Montenegro, Myanmar, New Zealand, Panama, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Slovenia, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sweden, Thailand , Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and Vanuatu.

Earlier reference of the MSC.7/circ.1 : our implementation page.

 

3. Government States
 

France

The French Directorate for Maritime Affairs via an IMO circular letter no. 4234/Add.9, extends the validity of STCW/STCW-F and other relevant certificates for seafarers with two dates; no later than 1 July 2021 and 1 September 2021 depending on the expiration dates of the certificates. The state of health emergency declared is expected to end on 1 June 2021.
 

Russia

The Russian Ministry of Transport advising via an IMO circular letter no. 4237/Add.20 that persons traveling to the Russian Federation by road, air, rail or sea transport in order to replace the crews of sea and river vessels located in the ports of the Russian Federation are allowed, subject to presentation of valid documents proving the identity of seaman and inclusion in the crew list or an extract from the crew list.  

 

4. Others 

 

There is no news issued under this section.

 

5. BIMCO
 

BIMCO General COVID-19 Links 
 

BIMCO is continuously monitoring COVID-19 restrictions and its impact on the shipping industry in particular on crew changes. Below are some of the type of information  currently being provided by BIMCO :

You can also view all information on our COVID-19 landing page.

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