When the coronavirus pandemic gripped the world last year, an invisible army of seafarers were scattered around the world and found themselves stuck at sea or in ports, unable to leave because of the surging virus.
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A group of the leading seafarer welfare charities and other shipping industry stakeholders have launched a $1 million emergency relief fund to support seafarers and their families impacted by the rampant COVID-19 outbreak in India.
Even before the recent surge in India, an estimated 200,000 seafarers had continued to be impacted by the pandemic-fueled crew change crisis, in some cases stranded on ships for months beyond agreed contracts. Despite some progress in combatting the crisis, the daily number of COVID-19 cases in India, which is home to many of the world’s 1.5 million seafarers, has reached more than 400,000 per day, prompting some major ports to prohibit ship crew changes for seafarers with recent travel history the country, says the International Chamber of Shipping.
Industry starts $1M target emergency relief fund to tackle COVID-19 seafarer crisis May 5, 2021, by Naida Hakirevic
Seafarer welfare charities and shipping industry players have launched an emergency relief fund in order to support seafarers and their families devastated by the rampant COVID-19 pandemic in India and other countries.
Seafarers have been the invisible victims of COVID-19, with hundreds of thousands marooned on vessels for months beyond agreed contracts, in some cases.
Despite suggestions that the crew change crisis was near its end, the escalation of COVID-19 cases in India to more than 400,000 per day has prompted some major ports to prohibit ship crew changes for seafarers with recent travel history to India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka.
Photo: International Seafarers Relief Fund
Shipping companies and charterers have come together with charities in an emergency relief fund for seafarers and their families devastated by the Covid crisis in India and other countries.
As the Covid crisis in India continues to rise with over 400,000 cases, worsening the global crew change crisis the International Seafarers Relief Fund has been set up with a target to raise $1m.
The fund has been set up by Seafarers’ Charity (formerly Seafarers UK) supported by The Mission to Seafarers, ISWAN, Sailors’ Society and other charities and already received pledges of support from Anglo-Eastern, Ardmore Shipping, Cargill, Hafnia, IRI (Marshall Islands Flag), MSC, Pacific Basin and V.Group.