| Peer-Reviewed

A Supporting System for Relieving COVID-19 Crew Change Crisis

Received: 28 October 2021    Accepted: 17 November 2021    Published: 2 December 2021
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Abstract

Since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, a large number of international seafarers have been stranded aboard ships. Some seafarers have been banned from coming ashore even for over 18 months. Crew change crisis is a time bomb for marine trade because seafarers play an important role in ensuring the safety of ship navigation and maintaining the smooth flow of global supply chain. The purpose of this study is to analyze the reasons of crew change crisis and legal framework of seafarers’ right to stop working and leave the ships they serve, and to provide a supporting system for relieving COVID-19 international seafarers change crisis. Situation analysis, which is a widely held method in health policy research to understand the present condition, contributes to finding out the reasons for crew change crisis. Statistical analysis is used to demonstrate the obstacles encountered in public health governance on crew change. Information is collected from official websites of governments and international organizations. The study provides three solutions for relieving COVID-19 crew change crisis based on China’s successful experience. The first is to implement refined management including monitoring of the pandemic, crew transportation, tracking and preventing mechanism. The second is to construct public-private collaboration mechanism and provide policy support on helping shipping companies reduce cost, which contributes to shipping companies to relieve their economic pressure on seafarers shift arrangement. The third is to construct international cooperation mechanism for crew changes.

Published in Journal of Public Policy and Administration (Volume 5, Issue 4)
DOI 10.11648/j.jppa.20210504.15
Page(s) 151-157
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

COVID-19, Crew Change Crisis, Crew Management, Crew Health, Marine Policy

References
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[14] IMO. 2020. “Circular Letter No. 4204/Add. 14/Rev. 1.” IMO, October 5. https://www.register-iri.com/wp-content/uploads/CL.4204-Add.14-Rev.1.pdf.
[15] Lee, Hong Liang. 2020. “Singapore sets up floating crew holding facility and $736,000 crew changes fund.” Seatrade Maritime News, August 31. https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/ship-operations/singapore-sets-floating-crew-holding-facility-and-736000-crew-change-fund.
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[19] UN. 2020. “Secretary-General Says Governments Should Allow Seafarers to Repatriate, Join Ships, as Hundreds of Thousands Remain Stranded at Sea by COVID-19-Related Travel Restrictions.” UN, 2020 June 12. https://www.un.org/press/en/2020/sgsm20121.doc.htm.
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[21] Portcalls. 2020. “Capinpin port fees cut in half for ships undertaking crew change.” Portcalls, September 14. https://www.portcalls.com/capinpin-port-fees-cut-in-half-for-ships-undertaking-crew-change/.
[22] UNWTO. 2020. “More than 50% of global destinations are easing travel restrictions - but caution remains.” UNWTO, September 10. https://www.unwto.org/more-than-50-of-global-destinations-are-easing-travel-restrictions-but-caution-remains.
[23] UNWTO. 2020. “COVID-19 related travel restrictions, a global review for tourism.” UNWTO, December 2. https://webunwto.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/2020-12/201202-Travel-Restrictions.pdf.
[24] U.S. Travel. State. Gov. 2021. “COVID-19 Travel Restrictions and Exceptions Last updated.” U.S. Travel. State. Gov. Accessed July 11 2021. https://travel.state.gov/content/trave.
[25] China MSA. “Circular of the State Administration of Immigration, General Administration of Customs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Transport, China Civil Aviation Administration on Accurately Preventing and Controlling the Epidemic Situation of Seafarers on International Navigation Vessels.” China MSA. Accessed January 11 2021. https://www.msa.gov.cn/page/article.do?articleId=00C42C11-6FE5-49EF-BC24-9AA198AD433B.
[26] ICS. “Annual review 2020.” Accessed January 11 2021. https://www.ics-shipping.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/annual-review-2020-final-compressed.pdf.
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Li Wenwen, Zhang Peng. (2021). A Supporting System for Relieving COVID-19 Crew Change Crisis. Journal of Public Policy and Administration, 5(4), 151-157. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jppa.20210504.15

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    ACS Style

    Li Wenwen; Zhang Peng. A Supporting System for Relieving COVID-19 Crew Change Crisis. J. Public Policy Adm. 2021, 5(4), 151-157. doi: 10.11648/j.jppa.20210504.15

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    AMA Style

    Li Wenwen, Zhang Peng. A Supporting System for Relieving COVID-19 Crew Change Crisis. J Public Policy Adm. 2021;5(4):151-157. doi: 10.11648/j.jppa.20210504.15

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jppa.20210504.15,
      author = {Li Wenwen and Zhang Peng},
      title = {A Supporting System for Relieving COVID-19 Crew Change Crisis},
      journal = {Journal of Public Policy and Administration},
      volume = {5},
      number = {4},
      pages = {151-157},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jppa.20210504.15},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jppa.20210504.15},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jppa.20210504.15},
      abstract = {Since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, a large number of international seafarers have been stranded aboard ships. Some seafarers have been banned from coming ashore even for over 18 months. Crew change crisis is a time bomb for marine trade because seafarers play an important role in ensuring the safety of ship navigation and maintaining the smooth flow of global supply chain. The purpose of this study is to analyze the reasons of crew change crisis and legal framework of seafarers’ right to stop working and leave the ships they serve, and to provide a supporting system for relieving COVID-19 international seafarers change crisis. Situation analysis, which is a widely held method in health policy research to understand the present condition, contributes to finding out the reasons for crew change crisis. Statistical analysis is used to demonstrate the obstacles encountered in public health governance on crew change. Information is collected from official websites of governments and international organizations. The study provides three solutions for relieving COVID-19 crew change crisis based on China’s successful experience. The first is to implement refined management including monitoring of the pandemic, crew transportation, tracking and preventing mechanism. The second is to construct public-private collaboration mechanism and provide policy support on helping shipping companies reduce cost, which contributes to shipping companies to relieve their economic pressure on seafarers shift arrangement. The third is to construct international cooperation mechanism for crew changes.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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    T1  - A Supporting System for Relieving COVID-19 Crew Change Crisis
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    AU  - Zhang Peng
    Y1  - 2021/12/02
    PY  - 2021
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    JF  - Journal of Public Policy and Administration
    JO  - Journal of Public Policy and Administration
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    AB  - Since the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, a large number of international seafarers have been stranded aboard ships. Some seafarers have been banned from coming ashore even for over 18 months. Crew change crisis is a time bomb for marine trade because seafarers play an important role in ensuring the safety of ship navigation and maintaining the smooth flow of global supply chain. The purpose of this study is to analyze the reasons of crew change crisis and legal framework of seafarers’ right to stop working and leave the ships they serve, and to provide a supporting system for relieving COVID-19 international seafarers change crisis. Situation analysis, which is a widely held method in health policy research to understand the present condition, contributes to finding out the reasons for crew change crisis. Statistical analysis is used to demonstrate the obstacles encountered in public health governance on crew change. Information is collected from official websites of governments and international organizations. The study provides three solutions for relieving COVID-19 crew change crisis based on China’s successful experience. The first is to implement refined management including monitoring of the pandemic, crew transportation, tracking and preventing mechanism. The second is to construct public-private collaboration mechanism and provide policy support on helping shipping companies reduce cost, which contributes to shipping companies to relieve their economic pressure on seafarers shift arrangement. The third is to construct international cooperation mechanism for crew changes.
    VL  - 5
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Author Information
  • Law School, Shanghai Maritime University, Shanghai, China

  • Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration, Shanghai, China

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