Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change launched on 26 gennaio 2021
18 marzo 2021: message from the Chairs of the Maritime Industry Crew Change Taskforce.
Dear Neptune Declaration Signatory,
First of all, we would like to extend a large thank you for continuing efforts in supporting our seafarers through these difficult times.
Since our last update, the number of Signatories to the Declaration has increased to over 750 companies from across the value chain. This has continued to create large-scale visibility and support for the issue and we have seen individual companies implementing best practice protocols, collaborating with other actors of the value chain and taking action to ensure crew-changes are carried out.
Yet as new challenges are arising and older ones stay unresolved, the crew change crisis remains a critical issue for the industry. We have therefore developed a roadmap, found attached, to create an overview of the status and actions that are ongoing in terms of: recognising seafarers as key workers and giving them priority access to Covid-19 vaccines, establishing and implementing gold standard health protocols based on existing best practice, increasing collaboration between ship operators and charterers to facilitate crew change and ensuring air connectivity between key maritime hubs for seafarers. The aim of the roadmap is to outline the ways in which we can collectively take forward the action areas outlined in the Declaration.
One of the action points is to share best practices, to show that the industry is taking concrete actions to facilitate crew changes and inspire others to follow suit. Therefore, we would be happy to hear from you if have examples of best practices you would be willing to share with other signatories and the general public. We will of course inform you in advance if we intend to use your example in communications to get your approval. To those who have already provided such examples, we would like extend a great thanks.
We will continue to keep you updated on developments and on ways through which you can help support the next steps.
Thank you for all your good efforts and continuous support!
Kind Regards,
Graham Westgarth, V. Group
Jeremy Nixon, ONE-Line
