Singapore tightens requirements for crew replacement
Taking into account the global development of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, the Singapore Maritime and Port Authority has tightened the crew replacement requirements at the Singapore port.
Most of the Asian crews complete the sign-in and sign-off procedures through the Singapore port.
In a new notice, the authorities took strict precautions to prevent the virus from spreading through crew changes.
A port maritime notice stated: “In view of the continuous development of the global new crown pneumonia epidemic, MPA has increased our crew replacement requirements to protect the well-being of seafarers and Singaporeans who are undergoing crew replacement in Singapore.”
It added that the checked-in crew member must provide a Home Notification (SHN) in the crew’s country of origin within a period of time before their flight/ferry departs for Singapore.
The crew must have a negative Covid-19 PCR test at a testing facility approved by the government of their country of origin no more than 48 hours before departing for Singapore.
Unvaccinated crew members or fully vaccinated crew members should join the ship no more than two or three days before the ship’s final departure date.
Within 14 days before boarding the ship, the crew member must have not landed, must be in good physical condition, and have not been in contact with any known or suspected Covid-19 cases during this period.
In the past 14 days, the crew must avoid contact with people on shore who had previously called at the port.
Sign-in personnel and sign-in personnel who have not been vaccinated can stay in designated detention facilities in Singapore for 24 hours, while those who are fully vaccinated can stay for 72 hours.
At the same time, the Ministry of Shipping, Bangladesh’s maritime regulatory agency, updated its previously issued notice on Sunday, stating that the Seafarer’s Certificate of Competency (CoC) has expired or will expire between January 1, 2021 and December 31, 2021 ) And Certificate of Proficiency (CoP) and related endorsements are still valid. Regardless of whether the seafarer is on board at the end of the validity period.
When renewing a certificate whose validity period expires, it shall be renewed within 5 years from the date of the original validity period.
If seafarers holding foreign-issued CoCs cannot re-verify their CoCs before the expiry date due to the Covid-19 epidemic, consideration will be given to allowing them to continue to serve on vessels registered in Bangladesh.