ICS calls on Dutch government to facilitate crew changes
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
KVNR: Improvement of crew change rules is far too slow
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
‘Crew changeovers have become costly with disruptions expected into 2021’
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 moreITF: Enough is enough, seafarers should exercise right to leave ships
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
Skillsea: Maritime education lagging behind developments in technology
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 moreKVNR: Visas could be a bottleneck for crew changeovers
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
Airline KLM comes to the rescue of seafarers
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
Offshore staff should be considered key workers to ease crew changes
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
Reederei Nord to reach seafarers with Wyzetalk application
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 moreIMO launches plan to repatriate stranded seafarers
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
150,000 seafarers trapped at sea due to Covid-19
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
Don’t cut corners when mooring your ship
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 moreShipowners fear dangerous conditions on board
The Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KNVR) is in talks with airline KLM, among others, to arrange for flights for seafarers to depart from Schiphol. Crew are now staying on board longer, and according to...Read more
Crowdfunding campaign for developing world seafarers
A charity crowdfunding campaign seeks to raise funds for developing world seafarers and their families that have been severely impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic. All funds raised go to the International Seafarers’ Welfare and Assistance...Read moreSeafarers’ education lags behind practice
Radical changes are needed to ensure that the education of seafarers does not lag behind the rapid pace of technological developments in shipping. This is demonstrated by a study which is part of the EU-funded...Read more‘Facilitate crew changes to keep world trade moving’
The shipping industry has urged governments to keep maritime trade moving by continuing to allow commercial ships access to ports and by facilitating the movement and changeover of ships’ crews. This was said in an...Read more
Dredging companies not careful enough with radiation
Inspections at 25 dredging companies showed that these companies need to do more to protect workers against the dangers of radiation. The Dutch Inspectorate SZW found 34 violations, some of which already came to light...Read more
KVNR: Impact corona crisis on Dutch shipping will be huge
The cruise industry has already been hit exceptionally hard following the coronavirus outbreak. It is still difficult to say what the damage will be for the Dutch shipping industry as a whole, but ‘it will...Read more