COVID-19: DEME Charters Flotel to Pre-Quarantine Offshore Workers

Belgium-based offshore installation and construction company DEME has chartered a hotel ship where it will pre-quarantine its offshore crews ahead of deployment to offshore projects.

"To ensure safe crew changes on board dredgers and offshore vessels during the COVID-19 pandemic, DEME will charter a hotel ship for pre-quarantining as of this weekend. The ship is moored in Ostend, [Belgium]" DEME said this week.

As part of its COVID-19 response measures, the company providing services to offshore oil & gas and wind industries has previously decided not to change offshore crews until April 17 in order to guarantee the health and safety of its employees and to avoid the risk of contamination. 

"Given that the end of the corona crisis is not yet in sight, DEME will start changing crews again on dredgers and offshore vessels as of April 17," the company said,

Crews getting back to work will spend two weeks in pre-quarantine aboard the chartered hotel ship, among others. 

"This will happen in small groups and according to a strict schedule, which makes it possible to separate the crews of different DEME vessels until they return to their dredger or offshore vessel. For example, social contact and activities on board the hotel ship will be strictly regulated," Deme said.

"This pre-quarantine allows DEME to prevent the risk of the coronavirus spreading on board and to guarantee the health of its employees. It also enables crews who have been on board for longer than expected to return to their families. During this crisis, DEME continues to look for solutions to ensure the health and safety of its employees, to continue to carry out projects in a responsible manner," DEME added.