The Philippines ends temporary crew change ban
Crew change operations in major terminals across the country can now resume.
Consultancy GAC announced that port authorities in the Republic of the Philippines had ended a temporary block on crew change operations.
“Both Filipino and foreign seafarers are allowed to disembark in any of the established crew changes hubs, notwithstanding the recorded port of calls of their ships, subject to the existing protocols of the One Stop Shop (OSS) for Seafarers,” GAC said in a commentary on the matter.
For much of January, the country prevented seafarers anchored in ports throughout Filipino waters from disembarkation. The main reason for doing so was to prevent the spread of COVID-19 variations from foreign crew. Seatrade-Maritime News reports that port authorities have established change hubs in Manila South Harbor, Port Capinpin in Orion, Bataan, Port of Sasa in Davao, and the Port at Batangas.
However, Seafarers will have to quarantine in designated facilities once they disembark from their vessels and must pass a COVID-19 test taken the sixth day after official arrival.
