Personnel of dredging and offshore company Van Oord have rebelled against the Covid-19 schedule that the company still unilaterally imposes on crews on its ships. This means that they spend six weeks on a ship...Read more
The heads of five United Nations (UN) organisations have called for maritime and air transport workers to be prioritised for Covid-19 vaccination. They ask for this because of the key role they play in supporting...Read more
Covid-19 has shown the world can’t do without ships and the (wo)men who run them. So all the more reason for SWZ|Maritime to pay extra attention to the importance of the position, operations and education...Read more
Non-emergency medical care at ports is becoming more difficult to access during the pandemic, leaving sick seafarers to suffer in silence, sometimes for months at a time. This warning was issued by seafarer trade union...Read more
If seafarers are not vaccinated in good time, problems may arise with relieving people at sea, warns the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KNVR). The association fears possible measures by, for example, airlines and countries,...Read more
The new, probably more infectious variants of coronavirus that first surfaced in the UK and South Africa is impacting crew changes. The Philippine Ports Authority has banned crew changes until at least 15 January for...Read more
The Nederlandse Zeevarendencentrale (NZC, Dutch Seafarers’ Centre) asks the government to structurally set aside a minimum of 360,000 euros a year. This is to cover the operating deficits in the care for at least 42,000...Read more
When there is inexperienced crew on board a ship, senior seafarers should take special care in guiding and supervising them. This advice is given by The Nautical Institute in a recent Mars Report in which...Read more
Despite borders opening further, some 200,000 seafarers are still trapped on their ships due to corona, with another 200,000 waiting at shore to take over from them. The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has called...Read more
Despite efforts being made to improve crew changeovers, not enough progress is being made, according to Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KVNR) Managing Director Annet Koster. The corona crisis has forced thousands of seafarers to...Read more
Due to the corona crisis, ship operators are faced with extra measures to ensure safe crew changeovers. These measures are proving costly as well as tricky warns crewing specialist Danica. At the same time, the...Read more
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has said it will now assist hundreds of thousands of seafarers to exercise their right to stop working, leave ships, and return home. After weeks of calling on governments...Read more
Digitalisation and modern technologies have rapidly changed the maritime sector in recent years. That is why European maritime professionals, both at sea and ashore, need more digital and soft skills to stay ahead of the...Read more
Together with Dutch airline KLM, the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KVNR) has set up the first air bridges. This makes it possible to relieve crew that has sometimes been stuck on board a ship...Read more
KLM has responded to the request of the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KVNR) to set up air bridges. These will allow seafarers to be flown in again to relieve their colleagues, who have been...Read more
A lobby has started to get the IMO to support a recommendation for Governments to facilitate the movement of offshore energy sector personnel during the Covid-19 pandemic. They should be considered “key workers” to enable...Read more
Shipping companies typically communicate with sea captains by telephone and e-mail, which leaves many of the seafarers out of the direct communications loop. Using Wyzetalk, Reederei Nord seeks to provide their non-desk employees with a...Read more
The International Maritime Organization has drawn up a roadmap to help countries implement procedures to relieve ship crews. Worldwide, tens of thousands of seafarers are stuck on board because they are unable to disembark or...Read more
New data compiled by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Maritime Employers’ Council has found that 150,000 seafarers are in need of crew change by 15 May. According to ICS, the current...Read more
Mooring a ship safely usually requires more than one person at each mooring station. In a recent Mars Report, the focus was on getting the job done instead of doing it safely. The work-around the...Read more
