ECSA, ETF, ICS and IATA ask the EU and the world-wide governments to adopt urgent measures in order to facilitate the changes of the crews of the ships



Expressing appreciation for the recent publication by the EU commission of lines it guides for the protection of the health and the repatriation of the marine ones, the passengers and other people on board of the ships(on 9 April 2020), today the association of European shipowners ECSA and the European federation of the workers of ETF transports have asked the EU a co-ordinate action and urgent in order to facilitate the changes of the crews to the aim to assure that the industry of the marine transports and its workers can carry out their role in supporting the European economy in the maximum possible measure and that the social impacts, operating and economic of the crisis determined from the pandemic of the Covid-19 virus they are reduced most possible.

In a letter sent to the European commissioner for transport, Adina V?lean, to the European commissioner for the Management of the crises, Janez Lenarcic, to the European commissioner for the Health and alimentary safety, Stella Kyriakides, to the European commissioner for the Justice, Didier Reynders, and to the high representative of the EU, Josep Borrell Fontelles, the ECSA and ETF has manifested great favor for communication of the EU commission of the 8 last April, also because it has recognized and included in the guidelines the necessity of a wide definition of the marine workers.

The European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) and the European Transport Workers' Federation (ETF) has agreed on the fact that the guidelines will resolve specific problems deriving from measures taxes unilaterally from various Member States and will prevent the insorgence of new difficulties. The two organizations have emphasized that the measures that are not online with the new lines guide, in fact, seriously hinder the circulation of the workers of the marine transport, comprised the marine ones who must reach their repatriated ships and being to the term of their turns of service.

Therefore the ECSA and ETF have asked aid the European commissioners in order to introduce to the Council of the Union a concrete proposal of relative political agreement to the ports designated for the disembarkation and the change of the crew, online with the conditions established (among other things geographic spread, international abilities, proximities sanitary structures and airports).

Moreover the two organizations have put in evidence to the commissioners the urgent necessities to repatriate marine the Europeans that currently are blocked in Third-country or on ships that have not been able to obtain the permission to berth. ECSA and ETF have specified that, to such fine, the assistance of the European Service for the external action would sure contribute to guarantee that the cases can be dealt collectively whereby possible.

Today also the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) has asked that world-wise the governments adopt urgent measures in order to on board facilitate the change of crew of the ships, as every month about 100.000 marine boarded ones on mercantile ships must be replaced from other crews in order to guarantee the respect of international the marine norms to protection of safety, the health and the well-being of the workers of the sea, while with the current restrictions to the travels taxes from the governments because of the pandemic not is availability of flights in order to repatriate or to place the marine staff.

IATA and ICS have announced that in order to unblock the situation they are collaborating in order to introduce sure and pragmatic solutions that the governments can put into effect in order to facilitate the changes of crew in determined airports. In particular, the two organizations have exhorted all the governments to designate to a specific and limited number of airports for the change of the crews and their sure circulation and the repatriation. These airports would have to be near the main routes of navigation that have also connections airplane directed with the main Countries of residence of the marine ones, as China, India and Filippine, let alone with destinations in western Europe and oriental.

"The marine ones - it has emphasized the general secretary of the ICS, Guy Platten - are heroes not celebrated that every day during this Covid-19 crisis they go to beyond the call of the duty in order to guarantee that all the Countries the assets reach of which they need. We are working with the airlines in order to introduce solutions. Now we need that the governments support our marine ones and facilitate the sure passage in order to make them to at home return their beloveds and being replaced from ready members of the crew to hold open the supplying chains".

"Alle airlines - it has remembered the general manager and CEO of the IATA, Alexandre de Juniac - is demanded to cut the fleeting services in the fight to the spread of Covid-19. If the governments identify the airports that the marine ones can use for the changes of crew and bring the opportune modifications to the current protocols of health and immigration - have explained de Juniac - the airlines can help to maintain the logistics in motion total".