Sailors SocietyVan AalstBühler GmbHTelestackTBA GroupVigan
  • Port of Stockton
  • TOC Africa 2025
  • Telestack
  • Bühler GmbH
  • TBA Group
  • TOC Americas 2025

Drastic crew change measures required

Drastic crew change measures required

(Posted on 29/07/20)

INTERCARGO cannot even begin to contemplate the impacts if terminal and cargo operations were halted and cargo vessels stopped operations and trading, as a result of crew remaining on board for 12 to 17 months. This compromises the safety of crew, ships, and cargoes, if worldwide progress is not made on crew change. About 300,000 seafarers remain trapped on board their ships and a similar number are awaiting re-employment with financial hardship

Despite a universal campaign from all sectors of the shipping industry, INTERCARGO says that hundreds of thousands of seafarers still continue serving after completing their Seafarer Employment Agreement (SEA), and that many of them have now spent well over 12 months on board. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that bulk carriers on tramp trading call at many more ports than other shipping sectors do, piling added strain on an already fatigued workforce with no hope of crew change.

“Very soon the industry is going to have to say enough is enough,” says Dimitris Fafalios, Chairman of INTERCARGO. “The situation is reaching farcical proportions. We have seen crew changes refused because a COVID test could not be carried out within the prescribed 48-hour window before the crew’s arrival, despite the journey to the port taking three days.  In some other countries which claim to allow crew change, in fact this happens only if crew can be replaced with the country’s nationals. These are just some examples.”

The two key bottlenecks are the airlines unwillingness to make flights available between shipping destinations and crew source countries; and the lack of commitment from Health & Immigration Authorities to facilitate seafarers’ travelling and issuance of visas.

As per Jay K. Pillai, Vice-Chairman of INTERCARGO, “the situation is escalating from bad to worse as the United Nations IMO protocols for Key Workers are not being honoured by all Port States. About 35 to 40% of all seafarers on board cargo ships are serving well over their SEA and about 10% of all seafarers on board are serving between 12 to 17 months. This is inhumane and countries should bear full responsibility for it. Some Governments are not facilitating the crew change even for their own citizens. This includes imposing all possible restrictions on crew change in their home country, restricting flights and applying policies which do not allow seafarers to fly to foreign countries to join ships. It’s a sad story and it can’t continue like this unless Port States who export/import cargoes ensure that ships will not depart with seafarers serving over the MLC limit. More and more countries are prohibiting crew change, though they welcome the cargoes the ships bring to support the welfare of their society.”

INTERCARGO believes that the focus of attention should be on following measures:

•           INTERCARGO supports the cross-industry recommended framework of protocols for ensuring safe ship crew changes and travel during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and places great emphasis on accurate testing procedures, especially for on-signing crew. Recent occurrences of Covid-19 positive crew being allowed to travel from their home countries cannot be condoned by INTERCARGO as it puts seafarers on board and civilians at risk. INTERCARGO calls for increased diligence by crewing agents arranging on-signing crew so that this does not happen again.

•           Seafarers shall be tested prior to departure from their home country and tested again at arrival to port prior to going on board ship. Similarly, seafarers disembarking from ships shall be tested prior to coming ashore or flying out. If tests are negative, they shall be exonerated from quarantine.

•           All seafarers shall be allowed to travel with visa exemptions for joining ships.

•           Port States must allow seafarers to sign off without confirmed flight tickets and wait in isolation hotels while awaiting flights, which could be long, subject to availability of flights.

INTERCARGO fully supports the outcome of the International Maritime Summit on Crew Change earlier in July, where thirteen countries signed agreements to facilitate crew changes. INTERCARGO encourages all governments that are signatories to the IMO SOLAS convention to join and implement the above agreement and especially countries which benefit most from the import and export of dry bulk cargoes.

INTERCARGO would like to remind the airline industry of the great economic support provided through seafarer, superintendent, specialist technician and surveyor travel to and from ships before the Covid-19 crisis.

Latest News

MIS launches as new global media platform

(Posted on 30/07/25)

Maritime Information Services (MIS) has officially launched as a global media platform delivering daily... Read more


Russian and Ukrainian seafarers continue struggle with psychiatric fallout of war

(Posted on 30/07/25)

Russian and Ukrainian seafarers continue to experience significant psychological strain following the... Read more


Noatum expands global footprint with inauguration of Shanghai office

(Posted on 30/07/25)

Noatum Maritime, part of AD Ports Group’s Maritime & Shipping Cluster, announced the official... Read more


Smart Ship Hub emission reporting first through Asiatic Lloyd partnership

(Posted on 21/07/25)

Leading vessel optimisation platform Smart Ship Hub has announced its partnership with AL Group &ndash... Read more


KR Representative LEE Jungkun Elected Chair of IACS Safety Panel

(Posted on 21/07/25)

KR (Korean Register) has announced that LEE Jungkun, General Manager of KR’s Convention &... Read more


INTERCARGO-member fleets outperform on safety and compliance

(Posted on 17/07/25)

Dry bulk carriers entered with the International Association of Dry Cargo Shipowners (INTERCARGO) continue... Read more


NEMO strengthens global role with official status from IMO and IAEA

(Posted on 15/07/25)

The Nuclear Energy Maritime Organization (NEMO) is proud to announce that it has officially been granted... Read more


Industry statement on recent Red Sea attacks on shipping

(Posted on 09/07/25)

ICS, BIMCO, European Shipowners | ECSA, INTERCARGO and INTERTANKO have released a joint industry statement... Read more


NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers establishes new JV with DP World

(Posted on 08/07/25)

NovaAlgoma Cement Carriers Limited, a joint venture between Algoma Central Corporation and Nova Marine... Read more


Julia Ju appointed The Swedish Club’s new Chief Executive in Hong Kong

(Posted on 08/07/25)

The Swedish Club has announced the appointment of Julia Ju as the new Chief Executive and Area Manager... Read more


Port of South LouisianaCimbriaGeneva DryTOC Africa 2025Port of StocktonTOC Americas 2025
  • Vigan
  • Geneva Dry
  • Van Aalst

Subscribe to our newsletter

Keep up to date with the latest global news in bulk cargo handling and shipping