UK Chamber of Shipping signs Neptune Declaration
The UK Chamber of Shipping, the voice of the UK shipping industry, has joined global industry and human rights leaders, including A.P. Møller – Mærsk, BP, BW, Cargill, COSCO, DOW, Euronav, MISC, NYK, Rio Tinto, Shell, Trafigura, Unilever and Vale, in signing the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change in a worldwide call to action to end the unprecedented crew change crisis caused by COVID-19.
Hundreds of thousands of seafarers from across the globe have been left stranded working aboard ships beyond the expiry of their initial contracts and are unable to be relieved since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. Fatigue after long periods at sea has significant consequences on the physical and mental wellbeing of seafarers. It also increases the risk of maritime incidents and environmental disasters, and poses a threat to the integrity of maritime supply chains, which carry 90% of global trade.
On a chilly January morning, the Rev. Mary Davisson climbs up the stern ramp of the
Tonsberg, an enormous ship bobbing in the murky waters at the Port of Baltimore. Davisson, the executive director and port chaplain of has spent much of her nearly two-decade career helping foreign crew members arriving in port, whether it is giving them a lift into town to buy personal items or just enjoying a coffee with them.
Nowadays the visits are short, just enough time for her to drop off packages that seafarers had delivered to her home, some magazines and other goodies. Since COVID started, we ve been taking them Hershey s Kisses with a little handout that says we can t shake your hand, but we can give you Hershey s Kisses, she says.
Claire Harbage / NPR
Originally published on January 29, 2021 1:49 pm
On a chilly January morning, the Rev. Mary Davisson climbs up the stern ramp of the
Tonsberg, an enormous ship bobbing in the murky waters at the Port of Baltimore. Davisson, the executive director and port chaplain of the Baltimore International Seafarers Center, has spent much of her nearly two-decade career helping foreign crew members arriving in port, whether it is giving them a lift into town to buy personal items or just enjoying a coffee with them.
Nowadays the visits are short, just enough time for her to drop off packages that seafarers had delivered to her home, some magazines and other goodies.
The Standard Club is delighted to be a signatory on the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change. Progress on addressing the crew change crisis has been made through significant efforts by individual companies, international organizations, industry associations, labor unions, NGOs and some governments, but the situation is still not resolved as many seafarers .
Thome Signs up to Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change
The Thome Group has signed up to the Neptune declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change which recognizes that stakeholders from across all sectors of the maritime industry have a shared responsibility to ensure that the current crew change crisis is resolved as quickly as possible.
The signatories of this declaration believe that the most effective way of addressing the crew change challenge and building a more resilient maritime logistics chain, is by working together across the value chain with industry stakeholders, organizations and with governments to implement solutions that work in practice.