According to the International Labour
Organization (ILO) this would include the
provision of alcohol-based handrub and
personal protective equipment as well as
access to prompt and adequate medical care
while working on board, access to care on
shore when in need of immediate treatment,
and 24 hour free medical advice by radio or
satellite communication.
Seafarers with Covid-19 are entitled to paid
sick leave/benefits when they are unable to
work. This also applies to quarantine periods
on board or ashore, whether the seafarer is ill,
exposed to Covid-19 or simply kept apart as a
precaution (unless local authorities bear the
cost).
THE REALITY
Many of the companies surveyed by the ICS
seem to have put adequate measures in place.
For example, the vast majority have proper
procedures for disinfection, for dealing with
visitors and wearing face masks.
There are still areas that need work though
– for example, while governments around the
world have put enormous emphasis on social
distancing and ‘bubbles’’ to prevent people
mixing with those from outside their group,
45% of seafarers say their company does not
require segregation or distancing of seafarers
who join their ship and 35% do not think that
their ship has procedures in place to restrict
or limit the number of visitors (some 9% of
companies admit that they don’t have a
procedure at all).
And as pointed out, the worrying fact is
that many seafarers are unsure that their
employers are living up to their responsibilities.
The statistics below reflect the findings
of the full report, which shows a clear gap
between the protection that ICS companies
say they are delivering and the protection that
seafarers from a range of companies receive.
����93% of companies say they have specific
plans and procedures to protect the health of
seafarers and the safety of ships during the
pandemic. Almost all these companies claim
to have included arrangements to isolate, look
after and request external medical help for
seafarers who show symptoms, as well as
arrangements for disinfection and cleaning to
control transmission of the virus. However,
32% of the seafarers who must put these plans
into action say they are not aware that a plan
even exists
���� 92% of seafarers say that they have received
general Covid-19 information but only 70%
have been given training or instruction
���� 91% of companies say that they have special
instructions on PPE for visitors, and that it is
46 SUOMEN MERENKULKU FINLANDS SJÖFART