MARINA Releases New Guidelines for Seafarers

The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) issued new procedures, health, and safety protocols for the repatriation of seafarers and crew changes in domestic and international ports in the country in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MARINA said these new protocols would apply in situations such as Filipino seafarers joining a ship docked in the Philippines or overseas (outbound), Filipino seafarers leaving a ship (inbound), special procedures for Filipino seafarers leaving a cruise ship docked in Philippine seaports, and Filipino seafarers transiting in the Philippines (airport/terminal to airport/terminal).

In addition, it said there are also new protocols for situations such as foreign seafarers joining a ship docked in the Philippine seaport from the airport (airport to ship), foreign seafarers leaving a ship docked in Philippine seaport to an airport (ship to airport), and foreign seafarers transiting in the Philippines (airport/terminal to airport/terminal).

Shipping companies will now only be allowed to implement crew change in ports that have been adapted to comply with health and safety protocols.

“The crew change hub locations will only be allowed to undertake crew change activities upon evaluation and approval by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) that the location is ready and will be capable of complying with all protocols, including undertaking RT-PCR swab testing at the port of disembarkation,” MARINA said.

Currently, it said only the Port of Manila is allowed as a crew change hub, and soon at Port Capinpin in Orion, Bataan.

“Other crew change hub locations are being considered such as Subic, Batangas, and Davao,” MARINA said.

There are also new protocols for situations such as foreign seafarers joining a ship docked in the Philippine seaport from the airport (airport to ship), foreign seafarers leaving a ship docked in Philippine seaport to an airport (ship to airport), and foreign seafarers transiting in the Philippines (airport/terminal to airport/terminal).

MARINA Administrator Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad (Ret) said the revised protocols were made to comply with existing safety and health protocols of the Philippine Government and the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

These protocols are also aligned and consistent with Crossworld's news article on Philippine Green Lanes (Joint Circular No. 1 dated 02 July 2020) released last 08 July 2020.