Singapore carefully facilitates shipping crew changes during pandemic

MPA has approved vital crew changes for some 1,150 ships since 27 March.

Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, where borders are open to goods, but closed to humans, spare a thought for the crews of shipping vessels. Their regular transitions between their work and land has been a significant challenge for shipping operators and port and immigration authorities around the world.

In Singapore, the Maritime and Port Authority (MPA), has been facilitating these crew changes with a number of innovative measures to ensure health and safety for both crew and the Singapore community. They have also accepted telemedicine consultation for clinical assessments using real-time video, and distribution of fit-to-fly certificates for crew disembarking their vessels in Singapore.

Dr. Lam Pin Min, Senior Minister of State for Transport and Health, said Singapore was conscious of the vital role that seafarers were playing during the pandemic. “Through facilitating crew changes, financial contribution to seafarers’ mission, as well as the adoption of new technology such as 3D printing, drones and tele-medical consultation, Singapore is glad to play our part to bring some relief to seafarers calling at our shores,” he told an event honouring the International Day of the Seafarer on 25 June.

More than 13,000 crew members, representing 650 different companies and 1,150 ships, have been approved for changes in Singapore since 27 March. MPA is also providing medical care for seafarers and has so far facilitated some 100 cases of seafarers requiring medical attention ashore since 27 March.

In its Day of the Seafarer celebration, MPA, the Singapore Maritime Officers' Union (SMOU), Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS), and Singapore Shipping Association (SSA) prepared 1,000 care packs for ships in the Port of Singapore, reaching out to some 10,000 seafarers.

Those present also witnessed the delivery of care packs to a PIL vessel ‘Kota Nasrat’, using a drone. This shore-to-ship delivery was conducted by another local start-up ‘F-Drones’ and demonstrates the use of new technologies to enhance safety and efficiency of deliveries traditionally performed by small launches or boats.