Hong Kong to allow unrestricted crew changes https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/regulation/hong-kong-allow-unrestricted-crew-changes
Jun 09, 2020
Efforts led by the Hong Kong Shipowners’ Association (HKSOA) to lobby the government to allow crew changes in one of the world’s largest hub ports have been successful. In April the Hong Kong SAR government had relaxed regulations to allow crew changes for vessels in port for cargo operations, and while good the shipowners’ association did not feel it was enough.
“The Honourable Chief Secretary has exercised his powers to approve the exemption of crew members of goods vessels, including those without cargo operations, from compulsory quarantine under Cap. 599E to undergo crew changes in Hong Kong,” HKSOA said.
Commenting on the announcement Bjorn Hojgaard, chairman of HKSOA said: “Many seafarers have been working in ships for almost or even over a year. They all look forward with great anxiety to seeing their families and taking a rest at home when their employment contracts expire...
Unlike special circumstance arrangements that are being seen in some other major hubs such as Singapore there are no quarantine requirements for seafarers coming to Hong Kong to join vessels.
The managing director of Worldwide Cruise Terminals, Jeff Bent, expressed delight at the decision. “I (along with others) have been lobbying for cruise crew changes, but I am not on the VTC distribution list. This is really good news for the seafarers, and hopefully also local provisioners and bunker providers if they are allowed to provide service,” he said.
The first full crew change using a new protocol in Singapore has taken place over the weekend.
A total of 19 Indian crew have disembarked the bulk carrier Genco Liberty in Singapore on June 6 and will now return home via a chartered flight to Colombo and then on to India.
In the meantime, 18 seafarers made up of 14 Sri Lankans and 4 Indians arrived at Singapore from Sri Lanka via the same chartered flight and signed on the ship on the same day...
但由6月8日起，即使貨船並非要喺香港上落貨，都可以航行嚟香港換班。6月27日起連郵輪客船都豁免埋，郵輪每日更換船員限額300人。
全港報紙傳媒都忽視咗呢單消息，而咁啱呢段時期菲律賓、印尼等南亞海員供應大國疫情大爆發，唔知會唔會有啲入境船員搭的士，傳染畀的士司機，然後再由的士司機傳染開去。
仲有，根據衛生防護中心7月9日嘅船隻檢疫安排公告，只係更新咗要求飛抵香港嘅船員做檢測，但喺碼頭落船嘅船員只需申報無感染症狀，亦冇人、冇法例監督船員上船前或落船後去向。
政府一日唔用防疫專車接送，指定酒店隔離，上船、落船船員於機場、酒店、船隻路途之間，始終都有令病毒傳入社區嘅風險。
Hong Kong to allow unrestricted crew changes
https://www.seatrade-maritime.com/regulation/hong-kong-allow-unrestricted-crew-changes
Jun 09, 2020
Efforts led by the Hong Kong Shipowners’ Association (HKSOA) to lobby the government to allow crew changes in one of the world’s largest hub ports have been successful. In April the Hong Kong SAR government had relaxed regulations to allow crew changes for vessels in port for cargo operations, and while good the shipowners’ association did not feel it was enough.
“The Honourable Chief Secretary has exercised his powers to approve the exemption of crew members of goods vessels, including those without cargo operations, from compulsory quarantine under Cap. 599E to undergo crew changes in Hong Kong,” HKSOA said.
Commenting on the announcement Bjorn Hojgaard, chairman of HKSOA said: “Many seafarers have been working in ships for almost or even over a year. They all look forward with great anxiety to seeing their families and taking a rest at home when their employment contracts expire...
Unlike special circumstance arrangements that are being seen in some other major hubs such as Singapore there are no quarantine requirements for seafarers coming to Hong Kong to join vessels.
Relaxed transit arrangements for seafarers through HK extended to passenger ship crews
http://www.hongkongmaritimehub.com/relaxed-transit-arrangements-for-seafarers-through-hk-extended-to-passenger-ship-crews/
The Hong Kong Government announced Saturday (27 June) that the arrangements for crew of cargo ships to transit Hong Kong when leaving or joining ship without the need for 14-days quarantine has been extended to crews on passenger ships including cruise liners.
The managing director of Worldwide Cruise Terminals, Jeff Bent, expressed delight at the decision. “I (along with others) have been lobbying for cruise crew changes, but I am not on the VTC distribution list. This is really good news for the seafarers, and hopefully also local provisioners and bunker providers if they are allowed to provide service,” he said.