There have been improvements in the comprehensive crew change crisis that’s been going on during the coronavirus pandemic, assesses Neptune Declaration in a new report. The effect of the new Covid-19 variant creates uncertainty, however.
Photo: PR / Torm
Things are going increasingly better in the comprehensive crew change crisis that’s been ongoing since the Covid-19 pandemic took a firm grip on the world last year.
According to the latest report by initiative Neptune Declaration, there has lately been a decline in the number of seafarers staying on board ships for longer than stipulated by their contracts. Most recently, the proportion dropped to 4.7 percent from 7.1 percent last month.
At the same time, there are fewer seafarers staying on ships for longer than 11 months, with the proportion having declined to 0.7 percent from 1 percent the month before, according to Neptune Declaration.
This extent is the lowest measured to date, reads a statement issued on Monday. The numbers were presented for the first time in May.
Going forward, however, the effect of the new Covid-19 variant Omicron, which has recently generated concern across the world, is uncertain.
“We are encouraged by the Indicator’s December numbers, that shine some hope that the holiday season this year will be better for seafarers. The spread of the new omicron variant could however lead to a reversal of these positive trends,” says Kasper Søgaard, managing director and head of Institutional Strategy & Development at Global Maritime Forum, in the statement.
“It is important that governments treat seafarers as key workers and continue to allow crew changes, when the proper health protocols are respected.”
According to Neptune Declaration, an increasing number of seafarers have received a vaccine. Most recently, there’s been a surge of 8.5 percent percentage points from 41 percent in November to a total proportion of 49.5 percent in December. There’s been no further specification of which vaccines were used.
Neptune Declaration bases its numbers on those of ten of the world’s major ship management companies, which in combination have roughly 90,000 seafarers on board their vessels.
