Video link: https://youtu.be/XT2s4861sQw

Nautical Institute Cyprus Branch Webinar 12 May 2021 – Key Workers Challenges

The online panel discussed the challenges posed to shipping due to the pandemic, particularly for carry out crew relief. The esteemed speakers were the President of the Nautical Insitute Jillian Carson-Jackson, Karin Orsel, CEO of MF Shipping and the Group Chair- Dutch Ship Owner’s Association, and Capt. Eugen Henning Adami, Owner and Managing Director of Mastermind Group, Cyprus.

All panelists agreed that seafarers are heroes and their work is often unnoticed. The world is not doing enough for the seafarers but at the same time shipowner groups are trying their best to assist the seafarers. Seafarers need to be designated as key workers and vaccines provided for them. One example of what can be done is to provide a priority channel in airports for seafarers. The ‘no-crew change clauses’ requested by some charterers are in violation of human rights principles. The Neptune Declaration helped in raising awareness of the plight of the seafarers.

We need more to be done. We need more countries to nominate seafarers as key workers. We need to increase the awareness about seafarers to the outside world to help overcome the challenges to the key workers.