The IMO issued a video statement from Secretary-General Kitack Lim stressing the vital need to maintain commerce by sea and protect seafarers’ welfare in face of coronavirus shut down and addressing the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on the shipping industry and the global supply chain. Also, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) issued an open letter to United Nations agencies to emphasize the vital need for professional merchant seafarers to be granted appropriate exemptions from any national travel restrictions to keep the world’s maritime supply chains functioning. Yesterday, Transport Canada released Ship Safety Bulletin 06/2020 recognizing that marine crew are essential and exempted from Canadian travel restrictions. We are working with the ICS and other key stakeholders locally to ensure that the crew transfers are done with all precautionary measures for COVID-19 in place.
