The Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS) is the latest seafarer union to collaborate with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) to assists its Singaporean members during this COVID-19 pandemic, where shipboard employment has been adversely affected.
Through the Seafarers Relief Package (SRP), both the authority and union will provide support of $800 per month to eligible Singaporean seafarers who are unable to secure shipboard employment between 1 May 2020 and 31 July 2020. The SRP is part of the which is part of MPA’s MaritimeSG Together Package.
SOS President Kam Soon Huat said: “Seafarers are in a vulnerable position in this COVID-19 pandemic. Their livelihoods are adversely affected by border control measures and crew change restrictions.
“As a union that represents seamen, we understand the hardship that they face. We are working with MPA to offer financial assistance, in the form of this relief package, to our Singaporean seafarers and their families for them to get by.”
MPA Chief Executive Quah Ley Hoon stated that the MPA has been working closely with the maritime industry and unions to recognise the contributions of seafarers who have been working to keep supply chains moving amidst this pandemic.
“We welcome SOS coming onboard to help those Singaporean seafarers who do not have shipboard employment through the SRP,” she said.
