IMO ADDRESSES CHALLENGES FACED BY SEAFARERS

IMO ADDRESSES CHALLENGES FACED BY SEAFARERS

Regional webinars launched An African dimension

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On 23 October IMO reported that it had held the first in a series of regional webinars for Member States on the challenges faced by seafarers during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

This event on 21 October was aimed at Eastern and Southern Africa and covered pressing issues including: crew change, repatriation, medical care, emotional and mental health support.

The objective of the series is to identify best practices with a view to alleviating the current crisis affecting seafarers and the shipping industry.

We still hear of the some 400,000 seafarers stranded on ships after contracts have been extended or have expired, with similar numbers waiting to join ships.

In his opening remarks at the event, IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim set the tone for the event, saying: ‘We all need to work together. Action is needed – now! We all depend on seafarers. They should not be the collateral victims in this pandemic. Seafarers deliver for us – and now we need to deliver for them’. These remarks were delivered on the Secretary-General’s behalf by Heike Deggim, Director, IMO Maritime Safety Division.

Nine speakers and 85 participants took part in the event from across maritime administrations, governments, control agencies, the industry, seafarers’ charities and UN partners.

Further information about the webinar, including a list of speakers and video recordings of the webinar, can be found here: https://www.imo.org/en/About/Events/Pages/Regional-webinars.aspx?refresh=1

The next webinar in the series, for Asia and the Pacific region, will be held on 4-5 November.

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Illustration: www.imo.org   IMO ©.Posted on: Sun, 25/10/2020 – 12:00 in: General Maritime NewsIHMA & Members newsPorts News