Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) Pandemic

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The COVID-19 pandemic has significant impacts on the shipping industry and on seafarers themselves, and IMO is working tirelessly at all levels to find solutions.

Travel restrictions imposed by governments around the world have created significant hurdles to crew changes and repatriation of seafarers, which has led to a growing humanitarian crisis as well as significant concerns for the safety of seafarers and shipping. IMO has intervened promptly by urging its Member States to designate seafarers as key workers, so they can travel between the ships that constitute their workplace, and their countries of residence.

Click to download the protocols, which set out general measures and procedures designed to ensure that ship crew changes can take place safely during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Click here for a comprehensive FAQ about crew changes and repatriation of seafarers.

Seafarers have been collateral victims of the crisis, as travel restrictions have left tens of thousands of them stranded on ships, or unable to join ships. IMO has established a Seafarer Crisis Seafarer Crisis Action Team (SCAT) to help them out of a variety of critical situations. 

Click here to find out more about the work achieved by the Organization to support seafarers around the globe.

IMO has published a number of press briefings on key issues related to the pandemic, including crew changes, repatriation of seafarers and meetings postponement: click here for the full list of press briefings.

Day of the Seafarer and other events

• High-level event on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly (24 September) on COVID-19 and Maritime Crew Changes: A humanitarian, safety, and economic crisis- read more here.
• The annual Day of the Seafarer was celebrated on 25 June 2020. The theme of the campaign reflects the role of seafarers and the need for them to be declared “key workers” in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Webinar: “Seafarers are Key Workers: Essential to Shipping, Essential to the World” A webinar on the theme “Seafarers are key workers: Essential to shipping, essential to the world” was held. Panelists highglighted the ongoing need for repatriation of crew and made a plea to “Get our hero seafarers home”.  They welcomed the United Kingdom Government’s initiative in calling a global summit on the issue, but warned that real action from governments everywhere was needed to solve the crisis and get seafarers home and replaced.  A recording of the full webinar can be viewed here.

IMO Secretary-General statements

• Allow crew changes to resolve humanitarian crisis, insists IMO Secretary-General (8 September 2020)
• Personal message from IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim to seafarers(21 April 2020)
• IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim statement (19 March 2020) Tackling COVID-19 – a voyage together

UN Secretary-General statements on seafarers and COVID

• UN Secretary-General’s message on World Maritime Day (24 September 2020)
• Statement attributable to the Spokesman for the UN Secretary-General on the repatriation of seafarers (12 June 2020)

Advice for IMO Member States, seafarers and shipping

IMO has issued the following circular letters:

(Please note: Circular Letters can also be downloaded in official languages from IMODOCS (requires registration))

• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.36 (18 December 2020) – Coronavirus (COVID 19) – ʺNo crew changeʺ clauses in charterparties
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.35 (14 December 2020) – Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Designation of seafarers as key workers
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.34 (19 November 2020) – Coronavirus (COVID 19) – WHO e-learning courses on “Promoting public health measures in response to COVID-19 on cargo ships and fishing vessels” and “Operational considerations for managing COVID-19 cases and outbreaks on board ships” 
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.33 (5 November 2020) – Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Joint Statement IMO-UNWTO to support the safe resumption of cruise ship operations following the COVID-19 pandemic 
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.32 (25 September 2020) – Coronavirus (COVID-19) – ICAO Harmonized guidance on facilitating passenger flights, including repatriation flights, using public health corridors during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.31  (17 September 2020)  – Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Joint Statement on the contribution of international trade and supply chains to a sustainable socio-economic recovery in COVID-19 times
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.30 (11 September 2020) –  Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Joint Statement calling on all Governments to immediately recognize seafarers as key workers, and to take swift and effective action to eliminate obstacles to crew changes, so as to address the humanitarian crisis faced by the shipping sector, ensure maritime safety and facilitate economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic
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• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.29  (4 September 2020) –  Coronavirus (COVID 19) – Communication from the Secretary-General regarding the crew change crisis
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.28  (26 August 2020) –  Coronavirus (COVID 19) – WHO guidance to promote public health measures on cargo ships and fishing vessels
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.27  (26 August 2020) –  Coronavirus (COVID 19) – Protocols to mitigate the risks of cases on board ships
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.26  (3 August 2020) –  Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Guidance on the gradual and safe resumption of operations of cruise ships in the European Union in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.25  (24 July 2020)  –  Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Outcome of surveys by ICS and ITF on health protection measures on board ships in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.24 (13 July 2020) – Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Outcome of the International Maritime Virtual Summit on Crew Changes organized by the United Kingdom
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.23  (1 July 2020) –  Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Recommendations for port and coastal States on the prompt disembarkation of seafarers for medical care ashore during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.22/Rev.1(25 June 2020) – Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Singapore Crew Change Guidebook
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.21(8 June 2020) – Joint statement IMO-UNCTAD – Call for collaborative action in support of keeping ships moving, ports open and cross-border trade flowing during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.20(5 June 2020) – Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Accelerating digitalization of maritime trade and logistics – A call to action
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.19/Rev.2  (22 July 2020) –  Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Guidance for flag States regarding surveys and renewals of certificates during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.18  (26 May 2020) –  Joint Statement IMO-ICAO-ILO on designation of seafarers, marine personnel, fishing vessel personnel, offshore energy sector personnel, aviation personnel, air cargo supply chain personnel and service provider personnel at airports and ports as key workers, and on facilitation of crew changes in ports and airports in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.17  (21 May 2020)  –  Coronavirus (COVID 19) – Preparing for post COVID-19 operations: considerations and practicalities for port community systems, single window and other electronic exchange platforms
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.16  (6 May 2020) –  Coronavirus (COVID 19) – COVID-19 related guidelines for ensuring a safe shipboard interface between ship and shore-based personnel
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.15  (6 May 2020) –  Coronavirus (COVID 19) – Personal protective equipment
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.14/Rev.1  (5 October 2020) –  Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Recommended framework of protocols for ensuring safe ship crew changes and travel during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.13  (5 May 2020) –  Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Recommendations for Governments and relevant national authorities on facilitating the movement of offshore energy sector personnel during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.12/Rev.1 (5 May 2020) –Coronavirus (COVID 19) – Declaration by Port Authorities Roundtable (PAR) members in view of the global COVID-19 situation
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.11 (24 April 2020) – Coronavirus (COVID 19) – EC Guidelines on protection of health, repatriation and travel arrangements for seafarers, passengers and other persons on board ships
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.10 (22 April 2020) – Joint Statement IMO-WHO-ILO on medical certificates of seafarers, ship sanitation certificates and medical care of seafarers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic 
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.9 (16 April 2020) – Joint Statement IMO-WCO on the integrity of the global supply chain during the COVID-19 pandemic
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.8 (14 April 2020) – Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Video meeting with port State control (PSC) regimes (includes joint statement and statements and/or relevant temporary guidance issued by the United States, the Acuerdo de Viña del Mar and the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Mediterranean, Paris and Tokyo MOUs
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.7 (3 April 2020) – Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Guidance concerning unforeseen delays in the delivery of ships
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.6 (27 March 2020) Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Preliminary list of recommendations for Governments and relevant national authorities on the facilitation of maritime trade during the COVID-19 pandemic 
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.5/Rev.1 (2 April 2020) Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Guidance relating to the certification of seafarers and fishing vessel personnel
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.4/Rev.2(9 October 2020) contains ICS Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance for ship operators for the protection of the health of seafarers
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.3 (2 March 2020) – Operational considerations for managing COVID-19 cases/outbreak on board ships
• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.2 (21 February 2020) contains the Joint Statement IMO-WHO on the Response to the COVID-19 Outbreak and encourages Member States and international organizations to disseminate it as widely as possible. A vailable in the six official languages of the United Nations system.
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• Circular Letter No.4204/Add.1 (19 February 2020) provides advice on Implementation and enforcement of relevant IMO instruments
• Circular Letter No.4203.Add.1 (12 February 2020) provides information and guidance on the precautions to be taken to minimize risks to delegates
• Circular Letter No.4204 (31 January 2020) providing information and guidance, based on recommendations developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), on the precautions to be taken to minimize risks to seafarers, passengers and others on board ships

Communications received from Member States and Associate Members

IMO has received, and circulated,  communications from Member States and Associate Members Communications

Click here to view full list of communications received by country and subject.

Download PDF – Table overview: List of Circular Letters with COVID-19 related notifications received from Member States (updated weekly).

National Focal Points on Crew Change and Repatriation of Seafarers

Click for the latest list: 

MSC.7/Circ.1/Rev  National Focal Points on Crew Change and Repatriation of Seafarers

Read more – further links

The following links also provide advice and information to seafarers and shipping (this list is not intended to a be complete reflection of all available information) – IMO is not responsible for the information in these websites:

• BIMCO – https://www.bimco.org/covid19
• BIMCO – crew challenges  – https://www.bimco.org/ships-ports-and-voyage-planning/crew-support/health-and-medical-support/novel-coronavirus—crew-challenges
• Chemical Distribution Institute (CDI), Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF), INTERTANKO  – Temporary Covid-19 Precautions During an Inspection (PDF) 
• Chemical Distribution Institute (CDI), Oil Companies International Marine  Forum (OCIMF), INTERTANKO  –  Temporary Guidelines for Conducting a Vessel Inspection During Covid-19 (PDF)
• EMSA – http://emsa.europa.eu/news-a-press-centre/covid19.html
• European Commission – Guidelines on protection of health, repatriation and travel arrangements for seafarers, passengers and other persons on board        https://ec.europa.eu/transport/modes/maritime/news/2020-04-08-coronavirus-cruise-ships_en
• European Commission – Guidelines on protection of health, repatriation and travel arrangements for seafarers, passengers and other persons on board ships (PDF download) 
• European Commission – Guidelines concerning the exercise of the free movement of workers during COVID-19 outbreak (PDF download) 
• Helse Bergen Haukeland University Hospital COVID-19 assessment tool –  www.covid19atsea.no
• IACS – http://www.iacs.org.uk/covid-19/
• International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) – Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance for Ship Operators for the Protection of the Health of Seafarers
• International Labour Organization (ILO) – COVID-19 and maritime shipping & fishing – https://www.ilo.org/sector/Resources/publications/WCMS_742026/lang–en/index.htm
• International Labour Organization (ILO) Information note on maritime labour issues and coronavirus (COVID-19)  (PDF) 
• International Maritime Health Association (IMHA)  – advice for shipping companies on the new type of coronavirus (2019-nCoV)
• INTERTANKO – Outbreak Management Plan: Covid-19 (Download PDF)
• INTERTANKO – Covid-19 Tanker Recovery Management Plan ( Download PDF )
• INTERTANKO –  INTERTANKO Crew Change Management Plan ( Download PDF )
• INTERTANKO – Outbreak Management Plan: Covid-19 ( Download PDF )
• ISWAN – VIDEO “Managing Your Mental Health During the Covid 19 Pandemic – A guide for seafarers” on YouTube. Mental health tools are also available to download free of charge from the ISWAN website at https://www.seafarerswelfare.org/seafarer-health-information-programme/good-mental-health
• International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) – COVID-19 update for transport workers: https://www.itfglobal.org/en/focus/covid-19
• International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) – COVID-19  country information for seafarers: https://www.itfseafarers.org/en/embed/covid-19-country-information-seafarers
• USCG – https://www.uscg.mil/coronavirus/
• S5 – port restrictions map  – http://tiny.cc/zz07lz     
• Singapore – https://www.mpa.gov.sg/web/portal/home/maritime-singapore/what-maritime-singapore-offers/covid-19_for_maritime_community
• Safety4Sea  – https://safety4sea.com/cm-how-coronavirus-affects-shipping-everything-you-need-to-know/
• Steamship Mutual et al – VIDEO – Coronavirus – Stay Safe on Board – https://www.steamshipmutual.com/loss-prevention/stay_safe_on_board_0420.htm
• Swedish Club – COVID-19 Handbook –  https://www.swedishclub.com/films-and-publications/publications/loss-prevention-and-brochures/
• UNCTAD – Port Responsiveness in the fight against COVID-19 – Technical note – https://tft.unctad.org/ports-covid-19/
• UN World Food Programme – World travel restrictions – http://unwfp.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/db5b5df309ac4f10bfd36145a6f8880e
• WaterFront – COVID-19 overview crew change impact  – https://www.waterfront-ms.com/crew-change-impact/2/
• Wilhelmsen COVID-19 Global Port Restrictions Map  – https://www.wilhelmsen.com/ships-agency/campaigns/coronavirus/coronavirus-map/
• World Ports COVID-19 Information Portal – https://sustainableworldports.org/world-ports-covid19-information-portal/

IMO Meetings / IMO Headquarters updates

IMO meetings schedule for remote sessions

Click for the meetings schedule.

World Health Organization advice

The World Health Organization (WHO) has issued comprehensive guidance on topics such as infection prevention and control; critical preparedness, readiness and response, and ways to protect yourself and others from COVID-19. 

• To read WHO advice for the public, click here. 
• To access WHO country and technical guidance, click here.  

The WHO has also published specific guidance related to travel and shipping in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes: 

• Interim guidance : Considerations for implementing a risk-based approach to international travel in the context of COVID-19 (16 December 2020)
• Annex: Risk assessment tool to inform mitigation measures for international travel in the context of COVID-19 (16 December 2020)
• Scientific brief: COVID-19 diagnostic testing in the context of international travel (16 December 2020)
• Promoting public health measures in response to COVID-19 on cargo ships and fishing vessels (25 August 2020) 
• Operational considerations for managing COVID-19 cases/outbreak on board ships (25 March 2020)