Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance for Ship Operators for the Protection of the Health of Seafarers

In response to the current coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, this Guidance has been produced by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) to support all types of ships which operate in international waters. The purpose is to help shipping companies follow advice provided by United Nations agencies including the World Health Organization (WHO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Labour Organization (ILO), as well as the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

COVID-19 – a virus which can lead to respiratory disease and pneumonia – was first reported in December 2019 in Wuhan, China. More than 90,000 cases have been reported at the time of going to print, including several thousand deaths. While most of these have been concentrated in China, the virus now appears to be spreading globally. No vaccine is currently available, and the focus of health authorities worldwide has been containment of the virus through preventative measures to limit and slow down widespread transmission.

The WHO has declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern under the WHO International Health Regulations (IHR). This severe public health challenge requires close co-operation between governments and shipping companies engaged in maritime trade, in order to protect the health of seafarers (and passengers) as well as the general public.

Members can see the latest developments on COVID-19 on the Club's dedicated resource page.

Downloads

  • 39401 - Coronavirus_Guidelines_IMO_5th_March_2020 443 KB

    05/03/2020

    Download PDF

Staff Author

UK P&I

Date05/03/2020

Tags

You may also be interested in:

The International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) has recently published Coronavirus (COVID-19): Roadmap for Vaccination of International Seafarers setting out procedures for all stakeholders to facilitate crew inoculation during the pandemic.

This Guidance addresses legal, liability and insurance issues that could potentially arise for shipowners from or in connection with vaccinations of crew for coronavirus (COVID-19).

In this article, the Club provides an overview of the emerging technology of shipboard carbon capture highlighting pros and cons where appropriate.

Self-esteem can heavily influence people's choices and decisions - it serves a motivational function by making it more or less likely that people will take care of themselves and explore their full potential.