ICS, ITF appeal to UN agencies to keep world trade moving amid COVID-19 crisis

Singapore — The International Chamber of Shipping and the International Transport Workers' Federation have written a joint open letter to UN agencies urging governments to keep maritime trade moving by continuing to allow commercial ships access to ports worldwide and by facilitating the movement and rapid changeover of ships' crews amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

"In this time of global crisis, it is more important than ever to keep supply chains open and maritime trade and transport moving," the ICS said on its website late Thursday.

In particular, this means keeping the world's ports open for calls by visiting commercial ships, and facilitating crew changes and the movement of ships' crews with as few obstacles as possible, the joint ICS and ITF statement said.

This comes after some ports worldwide have curbed movement of cargo ships in a bid to control the spread of COVID-19.

In Australia, for example, Maritime Safety Queensland announced this week that it would exclude all foreign ships from pilotage areas at Queensland ports until 14 days had elapsed since leaving their last international port. This is consistent with the same rules it has applied to Chinese ships since January 31 and South Korean ships since March 5.

Any vessel over 50 meters in length cannot enter a port without a licensed pilot. There are a limited number of specialized licensed pilots for each of Queensland's 21 ports, the Queensland Cabinet and Ministerial Directory said in a statement Thursday.

"Given the health threat our nation is facing, this is a tough but necessary policy and meets the community's expectations to tighten border control to contain COVID-19 to minimize the threat to our sea based trade from this virus," Queensland Minister for Transport and Main Roads Mark Bailey said.

'Keep supply chains functioning'

Similar moves are also feared in some ports in eastern China, some sources said.

"If it is implemented [there], it could affect container ship movements from nearby countries like South Korea," a source in Yantai said.

Another source said: "Commercial shipping moves vital goods, food and medical supplies. So, such steps can be very worrying."

Moves by some shipowners to cancel crew changes is also being highlighted as an area of concern.

Every month, around 100,000 seafarers need to be changed over from the ships they operate in order to comply with relevant international maritime regulations, governing safe working hours and crew welfare, so they can continue to transport global trade safely, the ICS and ITF said.

"We therefore wish to emphasize the vital need for the world's professional merchant seafarers to be granted appropriate exemptions from any national travel restrictions, when joining or leaving their ships, in order to keep the world's maritime supply chains functioning," they said.

"In view of their vital role during the global pandemic, we suggest that professional seafarers, regardless of nationality, should be treated as any other international 'key workers', such as airline crew and medical personnel."