The Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU) and the Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS), will work with tripartite partners to establish a $1 million Singapore Shipping Tripartite Alliance Resilience (SG-STAR) Fund.
The initiative comes after the two unions signed an agreement with the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA) and the Singapore Shipping Association.
According to MPA in a release on 28 August 2020, the fund will be used to accelerate the process and propagate best practices of safe crew change amidst COVID-19. This includes crew holding facilities and health testing.
Singapore has been facilitating crew changes of all nationalities from ships of different countries during the ongoing pandemic.
“This [the fund] is the result of a committed tripartite effort in the maritime industry which will assist more seafarers to be reunited with their families back home and at the same time, allow fresh crew to sign on safely so as to provide for their families,” said NTUC President Mary Liew, who is also SMOU General Secretary.
“Singapore has sent a strong message to the world that we recognise seafarers as essential workers and we appreciate the crucial role seafarers play in the global economy,” said SOS President Kam Soon Huat.
International Maritime Organization Secretary-General Kitack Lim, and International Labour Organization Director-General Guy Ryder had also given support to the initiative.
More details of the SG-STAR Fund will be released at a later date.
“We look forward to the SG-STAR Fund paving the way for greater participation and synergy by the international maritime community to enable safe crew change,” said SSA President Caroline Yang.
Enhanced Precautionary Measures at Port
Meanwhile, MPA said that it will enhance safety measures taken during port operations and crew changes, to further protect crew, shore personnel and the local community.
The enhanced measures will be taken as Singapore continues to play its role in the global supply chain.
To further protect crew, shore personnel and the local community, MPA now requires ships conducting activities such as repairs, servicing, surveys and inspections to inform the Port Master at least three days prior to the arrival of the ship.
Ships are also required to undertake additional measures including disinfecting working areas prior to their arrival.
Enhanced Crew Change Procedures
With effect from 1 September 2020, MPA, supported by PSA Singapore, will use existing floating accommodation as a Crew Facilitation Centre (CFC) at the Tanjong Pagar Terminal.
The CFC will be a self-contained facility with an onsite medical centre, as well as testing and holding facilities.
The facility can house sign-on crew for up to 48 hours prior to boarding, should their ship and flight schedule not match.
More streamlined crew change procedures, in line with the risk management approach taken by Singapore’s Multi-Ministry Taskforce, will also be implemented.
Crew members who have stayed at least 14 days from specific low-risk countries signing onto ships in Singapore will either no longer be required to serve a stay-at-home isolation period in their originating country, or may only have to serve a shorter isolation period of seven days prior to their departure for Singapore.
Crew members from other countries are required to serve an isolation period of 14 days prior to departure.
To further safeguard the crew change process, ship owners, managers and agents must conduct COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction tests at government-approved or ISO 15189-accredited testing facilities prior to departure.
