Unsung heroes should get the jab first, says BPA
The British Ports Association has called for port workers to be given priority during the Coronavirus vaccination programme.
By Marc Allen, Maritime Direct UK.
The UK’s leading ports advocate, the British Ports Association (BPA), has called upon Boris Johnson’s government to give key port-workers the Coronavirus vaccine as soon as possible to help protect vital supply chains.
In a press statement today, the Sarah Walsh, Head of Corporate Services said: “…we are talking about unsung heroes who keep the county supplied. From marine pilots to cutter crew, crane and plant operators, vessel traffic service operators, tug operators, quayside operators, stevedores, and linesmen… roles within the ports sector that are essential to ensuring trade continues to flow…”
The UK has the second biggest ports industry in Europe, handling 500 million tonnes of freight per year and employing over 115,00 people. Half of all British food is imported and the BPA has stressed the strategic role the UK’s ports play regarding food security and the free flow of essential supplies.
