Ports Australia signs Neptune Declaration
Ports Australia has signed the Neptune Declaration, joining more than 800 companies worldwide with a shared responsibility of collaboration to overcome the seafarer crew change crisis.
Hundreds of thousands of seafarers who bear the load of roughly 90% of world trade have been stranded aboard ships throughout the pandemic because of the widespread inability for crew changeovers to occur or for shore leave to be granted.
As per Global Maritime Forum’s website:
The Neptune Declaration urges the implementation of four main actions to address the crisis:
– Recognize seafarers as key workers and give them priority access to Covid-19 vaccines
Manila crews âunavoidableâ as WA exporters forced to navigate COVID waters alone
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Iron ore exporters keeping the nationâs economy afloat have no choice but to use crews from the Philippines as coronavirus restrictions make it near impossible to change over staff on West Australian soil.
Health Minister Roger Cook floated a plan last year to ban Manila-based crews from being used by iron ore carriers amid a surge in positive cases on the ships but it was quickly abandoned due to the insurmountable logistical challenges.
Manila crews unavoidable as WA exporters forced to navigate COVID waters alone watoday.com.au - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from watoday.com.au Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.