ITF , Chamber Of Shipping Launch Vaccine Guide For Seafarers’

The International Transport Workers Federation (ITF ) has commenced  works with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) to produce a simple, easy-to-understand guide for seafarers on Covid-19 vaccinations.

 

The independent guide explains the evidence-based risks associated with the major vaccine brands currently in the market.

 

The guide can be used by affiliated seafaring unions, ITF Inspectors and crew themselves.

 

ICS has calculated that 900,000 of the world’s seafarers (well over half the global workforce) are from developing nations, while some 90% of people in 67 low-income countries are not expected to be vaccinated in 2021.

 

Co-produced with the International Maritime Health Association, Intertanko, and the International Transport Federation (ITF), it is being circulated to shipowners for use amongst crews.

 

It is hoped the guide will help tackle the spread of vaccine misinformation by providing a trusted source of information for crew members.

 

Guy Platten, ICS secretary general said: “The guide includes straightforward information on the different types of vaccine available globally, and their safety benefits for all parties involved in global maritime. This is to counter ‘anti-vaxx’ misinformation circulating online that might be dissuading crew from taking up the vaccine.

 

“Often, social media is the main way through which seafarers keep in touch with family and loved ones while at sea, but it can also lead to the spread of inaccuracies around vaccines and make crew less willing to be vaccinated.

 

Some crew may also be reticent due to religious concerns over vaccines containing alcohol or meat products.”

 

While it is unclear how many crew are hesitant to have vaccinations, polling evidence has found reluctance to be widespread in the general population, running as high as 30% in the US and even 40% in some EU countries such as France.

 

The launch comes as various nations are considering launching restrictive vaccine passport schemes, which ICS has warned could put shipowners in an “impossible position”.

 

The organisation has warned that shipowners may be forced to cancel voyages if crew members are not vaccinated, as they would risk legal, financial and reputational damage by sailing with unvaccinated crews, who could be denied entry to ports.

 

Platten added: “Seafarers must travel across borders as part of their day-to-day role and to do that they may soon need to provide evidence they have been vaccinated.

 

“We must ensure that governments prioritise seafarers as keyworkers and do not put them at the back of the vaccine queue. This is vital, especially as they will be responsible for much of the world’s vaccine roll out.”

 

Delays to ports caused by unvaccinated crew would open up legal liabilities and costs for owners, which would not be recoverable from charterers.

 

It could also exacerbate the ongoing crew change crisis, with concern that the figure of 200,000 seafarers impacted by could rise if more countries begin requesting seafarers are vaccinated before ships can enter their ports.

 

 

 

Bud Darr, Executive Vice President, maritime policy and government affairs at MSC Group, stated: “While we haven’t seen it yet, we’re definitely concerned that the lack of vaccinations will become an obstacle to the free movement of seafarers this year.

 

“The shipping industry needs to find creative solutions to the problem. In the short term this means getting seafarers vaccinations in their countries where there are established programmes and sufficient supplies of vaccines. In the long term it’s about exploring the idea of public-private partnerships.”

 

He continued: “There may even be the opportunity, when the initial surge of need is met for national allocation, for manufacturers to provide vaccinations directly to shipowners to allocate/administer to these key workers.”

 

An accompanying video to launch the vaccine guide features comments from Capt. Rajeshkumar Singh from Mumbai who said: “Vaccines will provide us with the best possible protection against COVID-19 and will be vital to ensure that we can travel freely across the globe.