Circular No. 4204/Add.18 Joint IMO/ICAO/ILO Statement on the 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 facilitating crew changes in ports and airports in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
INTERNATIONAL MARITIME ORGANIZATION
4 ALBERT EMBANKMENT, LONDRES SE1 7SR
Telephone: +44(0)20 7735 7611 | Facsimil: +44(0)20 7587 3210
Subject: Joint IMO/ICAO/ILO Statement on the 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 facilitating crew changes in ports and airports in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Secretary-General of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Director-General of the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Secretary-General of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) have jointly issued the attached statement to seek the support of Governments in facilitating crew changes in ports and airports.
According to information provided by the maritime sector, from mid-June 2020, it is estimated that a large number of seafarers will require repatriation or crew changes, making the facilitation of international transport for this personnel urgent.
ANNEX: JOINT STATEMENT
Objective: Designation of key workers and facilitation of crew changes.
Governments should permit seafarers holding a valid seafarers’ identity document and a passport to enter their territory for the following purposes:
- Joining a ship: To join their ship or to be transferred to another ship.
- Transit: To transit for the purpose of joining a ship in another country or for repatriation.
- Other purposes: Any other purpose approved by the authorities of the Member concerned.
Legal Framework and Rights
It is recalled that, in accordance with Regulation 2.5 of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC, 2006), seafarers have a right to be repatriated at no cost to themselves. Every Member should facilitate the repatriation and replacement on board of seafarers serving on ships docked in its ports or passing through its waters.
