Belgium to Expand Vaccination Campaign for Seafarers

Belgium has expanded its vaccine campaign for maritime workers, regardless of nationality, and now offers the vaccinations to all seafarers who visit Belgian ports. 

Single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be given to crew members on ships for the first time starting on July 26, as a result of an initiative undertaken by the Royal Belgian Shipowners’ Association (RBSA).

To ensure that all seafarers, both those present and those entering or leaving the country, have access to vaccines, a vaccine administration program is provided to all seafarers staying and working on board a vessel docked in a Belgian port, as well as those signing on or off from vessels within the country. 

MSC a Swiss based shipping company said a scarcity of vaccinations has become a further burden for seafarers who are already carrying a significant burden from the worldwide control measures put in place as a result of the pandemic. 

In Belgium, Antwerp is the second-largest port in Europe and serves as a significant port of trade for Europe.