GAC and Total celebrate one year in their partnership for a sustainable future in the UAE
GAC and Total Solar Distributed Generation (’Total Solar DG’) Middle East are celebrating a year since the solar project at GAC’s Dubai South contract logistics facility has been commissioned. Since then, it has generated 5 million kilowatt-hour (kWh) of renewable electricity, exceeding the forecast 4.2 million kWh and reduced CO2 emissions by an estimated 2,000 tonnes or the equivalent of planting 35,000 trees. Following this first success, GAC and Total Solar DG have two other projects in the pipeline to be completed by the end of the year.
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
Photo: Wilhelmsen
Crew change in Singapore
A group of high-profile charterers have released a set of best practices for charterers to help facilitate crew changes.
The recommendations, published by the Global Maritime Forum, are designed to help both long- and short-term charterers put into action the recommendations of the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change.
The Neptune Declaration was signed by over 800 companies to address the COVID pandemic’s impact on seafarers, and urges that: seafarers be recognised as key workers; gold standard health practices are established and implemented for seafarers; collaboration between shipowners and charterers is increased to facilitate crew changes; and connectivity is maintained between maritime hubs for seafarers. In particular the Neptune Declaration states that no charter should contain clauses preventing necessary crew changes.
New Neptune Declaration Crew Change Indicator takes the temperature of the crew change crisis
Data from top 10 ship managers on their seafarers is the basis of an indicator which provides up-to-date information on the impact of the crew change crisis and will allow for the monitoring of developments over time. The Neptune Declaration Crew Change Indicator is part of the ongoing efforts that a multi-stakeholder taskforce is undertaking to resolve the situation.
Well into the second year of the coronavirus pandemic, the crew change crisis remains unresolved. Despite the concerted efforts by international organizations and companies, seafarers are still unable to disembark from vessels while new strains of Covid-19 create a risk of making the situation worse. Currently, data that gives access to the number of seafarers who are impacted by the crew change crisis is limited. The new Neptune Declaration Crew Change Indicator aims to inform the situation.
UN leaders urge companies relying on shipping supply chains to undertake urgent measures to protect seafarers’ rights
A wide-ranging human rights checklist has today been issued to business enterprises engaged with the maritime industry to protect seafarers stranded on ships due to new COVID-19 variants and government-imposed travel restrictions, under a joint initiative by the UN Global Compact, the UN Human Rights Office, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).
The Human Rights Due Diligence Tool for cargo owners and charterers has been issued amid concerns that the number of crew stranded working beyond their contracts at sea by COVID-19 restrictions could surge from the current level of 200,000, potentially returning to the peak of 400,000 seafarers at the height of the crew change crisis in September 2020. UN agencies hope the new guidance will help ensure that the working conditions and human rights of seafarers are res