Crew change crisis will complicate with COVID-19 mutation

By Michael McGrady, Maritime Direct Americas Correspondent

Members of the crews stranded in ships currently in the anchorage off several Chinese port cities find themselves facing new challenges amid the global crew change crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Having reached out to the World Shipping Council, Maritime Direct requested to interview with Jeremy Nixon — co-chair for the council and the chief executive for Ocean Network Express.

He is a critical figure in a recent industry-wide effort to bring over-extended crews back home to their countries.

Our request has yet to be returned. That doesn’t mean that the council has no intention to do so.

However, it is questionable when considering the severity of this crisis and the increase of media attention surrounding the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change, of which, Nixon is one of the initial organizers of the effort.

Lauritzen Bulkers, a Danish maritime liner, was one of the most recent companies to sign the Neptune Declaration.

Lauritzen enters

The declaration was developed by the Maritime Industry Crew Change Taskforce that was an outcome of the Global Maritime Forum’s most recent virtual high-level meeting.

Chief executive Niels Josefsen of Lauritzen said that the company will “support this initiative and look forward to playing our part as an owner-operator to tackle the crew change crisis.” Josefsen’s remarks are similar to all of the executives who signed the declaration.

Changes and challenges because of COVID-19 variations

Euronav, as Maritime Direct reported earlier this week, was also a signatory to the declaration making the work of the organizations involved crucial to highlight the humanitarian crisis. However, with news of mutations of the actual COVID-19 virus, the work to resolve the global crew change crisis will be further complicated.

Marcus Hand reported for Seatrade Maritime News that this update in the crisis will be a focal point in upcoming negotiations. This is noteworthy because the global pandemic is everchanging and offers a strong case for further implementing the recommendations found in the declaration through the avenues of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the International Maritime Organization, and the UN General Assembly.

The formal launch of the Neptune Declaration is in late January of 2021, which will follow under the shadow of the World Economic Forum’s Davos Agenda Week.

Davos will take place from January 25 to 29, 2021. We will report on the Davos developments as they relate to maritime and shipping.

The crew change crisis is still a developing story.