World Health Organization News

Four UN organizations have called for continued global collaboration to address the crew change crisis that at times during the COVID-19 pandemic has left more than 400,000 seafarers stranded at sea.In a joint statement issued on February 28, the International Labor Organization (ILO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) and the World Health Organization (WHO) say new challenges and variants of concern like Omicron threaten to worsen the plight of the world’s seafarers…

Mexico on Tuesday allowed a cruise ship to dock and disembark tourists in spite of an outbreak of COVID-19 on board, as the government vowed to keep the country open to cruise vessels provided sanitary precautions are met.The ship, Ms Zuiderdam, with some 2,000 passengers and crew, docked in the port of Guaymas in the northern state of state of Sonora, state and federal authorities said.In a statement, the Mexican government said it would accept cruise ships that sought permission…

The docking of the Europa passenger liner in Cape Town on Tuesday was meant to be a ribbon-cutting celebration marking the official start of the cruise ship season in South Africa’s top tourist hub, the first since the COVID-19 pandemic hit.But international travel curbs on southern Africa, where the new Omicron coronavirus here variant was first identified, have blown expectations of a bumper tourist season out of the water.The multi-story luxury liner is the first to dock at…

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Saturday that unvaccinated foreign nationals under the age of 18 traveling to the United States by air do not have to self-quarantine upon arrival.CDC Director Rochelle Walensky on Saturday signed a revised order clarifying that foreign national children who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 do not need to isolate for seven days upon arrival in the United States.A CDC order issued on Monday had raised alarm among some foreign travelers that their children would need to quarantine for that long after arriving.On November 8…

Frustrated by the lack of progress and slow pace of international efforts, ship management trade group InterManager said it will work separately to obtain COVID-19 vaccines to protect the world’s more than 1.5 million seafarers and thereby keep international trade routes open.InterManager president, Mark O’Neil, said, “Global organizations have talked their way round in circles and still we are no further forward in providing a vaccination program for seafarers who are vital in ensuring that world trade and aid continues to be delivered.

The lucrative prospect of transporting COVID-19 vaccines by sea has intensified the spotlight on the maritime industry’s cold supply chain and its ability to carry high-value pharmaceuticals.At present, speed to market is critical to stemming the spread of the pandemic, so the vaccines are being shipped by air to international destinations. Delivering them by sea is a longer-term strategy; certainly, the present urgency would have to calm considerably before enough confidence could be built to support delivery times in weeks…

Unite Nations organizations this week issued a joint call for the world's seafarers to be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination, stressing their key role in supporting global trade.The heads of five UN organizations have called for maritime and air transport workers to be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination.Seafarers and aircrew are key workers, required to travel across borders, which may—though contrary to WHO recommendations—result in the need for them to present proof of a COVID-19 vaccination as a condition for entry in some countries.

The lucrative prospect of transporting COVID-19 vaccines by sea has intensified the spotlight on the maritime industry’s cold supply chain and its ability to carry high-value pharmaceuticals.At present, speed to market is critical to stemming the spread of the pandemic, so the vaccines are being shipped by air to international destinations. Delivering them by sea is a longer-term strategy; certainly, the present urgency would have to calm considerably before enough confidence could be built to support delivery times in weeks…

Iran denied on Tuesday it was using a South Korean ship and its crew as hostages, a day after it seized the tanker in the Gulf while pressing a demand for Seoul to release $7 billion in funds frozen under U.S. sanctions.The seizure of the MT Hankuk Chemi and its 20-member crew near the strategic Strait of Hormuz has been seen as an attempt by Tehran to assert its demands, just two weeks before President-elect Joe Biden takes office in the United States.Iran wants Biden to lift sanctions imposed by outgoing President Donald Trump. Tehran's critics have long accused it of capturing ships and foreign prisoners as a method of gaining leverage in negotiations."We've become used to such allegations," Iranian government spokesman Ali Rabiei told a news conference.

Rotterdam-based company DisinfectYour.com has launched a new service to help vessel owners and crew respond to COVID-19 outbreaks. The service includes complete disinfection of closed areas on a vessel, as well as care for the crew - including sanitized transfers between the vessel and COVID-safe accommodation in Rotterdam – during the treatment.Nico Vroom, CEO, DisinfectYour.com, said, “Despite strong regulations and safety procedures, COVID-19 can still sneak onboard and we are seeing more vessels being disinfected as outbreaks continue.

A long-serving nuclear cargo vessel has made its final voyage and will be decommissioned in Scotland.Earlier this month, Oceanic Pintail set sail from Barrow-in-Furness, in Cumbria, for the final time, and now 98% of the 3,865-tonne vessel will be recycled by Leith firm Dales Marine Services, an EU List approved supplier of vessel decommissioning.Oceanic Pintail, operated by International Nuclear Services (INS), was launched in 1987 and has served the U.K. nuclear industry for the last 33 years.Peter Buchan…

Wilson Sons is the largest integrated port and maritime logistics operator in Brazil, operating more than 80 workboats. Marcio Castro, Executive Director Tugboat Division, discusses with Maritime Reporter the size, shape & technical direction of the fleet.Mr. Castro, to start, how did you come to a career in maritime?I graduated in System Engineering at Rio de Janeiro State University (UERJ), I also have an MBA in Business Administration (Coppead/UFRJ). I joined Wilson Sons in 2003…

Most cruise lines’ operations are now suspended but at the beginning of the year, BSM Cruise Services’ managed ships were deployed all around the world.Martin Springer, Managing Director BSM Cruise Services explains that, while all BSM’s managed vessels have advanced procedures and contingency plans in place for any crisis, the COVID-19 pandemic has been an extreme situation.But he continues; “BSM Cruise Services’ commitment to building long-lasting customer relationships and…

Spain is to uphold a ban on cruise liners from docking at its ports to stop the spread of COVID-19, according to a ministerial order published on Saturday.Cruise liners carrying thousands of passengers regularly stop off at ports in the Balearic Islands, the Canary Islands, Barcelona and Malaga, but were prohibited when Spain went into lockdown on March 14.With their crowds of often elderly passengers, cruise ships have been especially vulnerable to outbreaks of the virus and…

Alabama shipbuilder Austal USA said it graduated 28 youth apprentices into full-time paid positions this spring. The apprentices are recent high school graduates from schools throughout Mobile and Baldwin County and completed seven weeks of training at the Alabama Industrial Development Training facility adjacent to Austal’s campus.“Austal USA is excited to have hired 28 Youth Apprentices into full-time Fabrication Trade Assistant positions,” Austal USA Workforce Development Manager Ryan Lee said. “The Youth Apprenticeship program is a special program.

U.K. shipbuilder SMS Group reports it has delivered a newbuild aquaculture vessel to a Tuna farm operator in Malta.The new vessel, Emmaya, has 24m LOA, 8.5m beam and a 3m draft, and it is built to the MCA-MGN-280-Catergory 1 (150nm from safe haven) workboat code. Designed by Walker Marine Design, the workboat will provide tuna harvesting and aquaculture/fish farm logistical and maintenance support services.David Azzopardi, Director of Fish and Fish Ltd, said, “This represents a major investment for Fish and Fish Ltd…

Namibian ship repair company Namdock has resumed full operations with effect from Tuesday, in accordance with the inception of stage 2 of Namibia’s national COVID-19 lockdown, which has seen the partial easing of restrictive measures thanks to the recent flattening of the minimal in-country infection curve.“Over the past few weeks we have put strict personal protection and sanitization measures in place, to ensure that we could safely resume full-capacity operations when the time came.

Shipping line Baleària says it is working toward being the first in the world to obtain the Global Safe Site COVID-19 badge at the highest level (Excellence) from certification and inspection body Bureau Veritas, certifying that its ships and the ferry terminals that it manages implement specific procedures, cleaning plans, organizational and personal protective measures to prevent COVID-19. The carrier will also periodically test for the possible presence of the virus on surfaces…

Our planet is facing its greatest challenge, and it’s not coronavirus. Asbjørn Halsebakke, Product Manager, Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch, ponders how greater political action could help the maritime industry meet its most ambitious environmental goals.Why hasn’t the climate crisis elicited the same urgent response from global governments as the corona pandemic? When confronted with the terrible threat of viral spread, national leaders from Boris Johnson to Narendra Modi…

Our planet is facing its greatest challenge, and it’s not coronavirus. Asbjørn Halsebakke, Product Manager, Yaskawa Environmental Energy / The Switch, ponders how greater political action could help the maritime industry meet its most ambitious environmental goals.Why hasn’t the climate crisis elicited the same urgent response from global governments as the corona pandemic? When confronted with the terrible threat of viral spread, national leaders from Boris Johnson to Narendra Modi…

The World Health Organization (WHO) has declared the outbreak of the novel coronavirus a pandemic. There is little doubt that this will have significant implications for the shipping industry. But to what extent? BIMCO expects that the strict containment measures imposed by governments around the world will result in substantially lower global economic growth and consequentially, lower demand for shipping. Container and dry bulk shipping are at the front line when it comes to feeling the fallout…

International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretary-General stressed vital need to maintain commerce by sea and protect seafarers' welfare in face of coronavirus shutdown.IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim issued the following statement addressing the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on the shipping industry and the global supply chain:The spread of the coronavirus has placed the entire world in an unprecedented situation. To slow the spread of the disease and mitigate its impacts, travel is being curtailed and borders are being closed. Transport hubs are being affected.

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) said its meetings scheduled to be held in July, including the next regular session of the IMO Council, have been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as the UN shipping agency moves to revise its meeting program for the remainder of 2020.The IMO said it  has drawn up a priority list of meetings to be considered by the Council at its 32nd extraordinary session that will be held by correspondence from May to July. This follows the 31st session of the Council that took place…