Stranded seafarers make direct appeal for more action on crew changes

Stranded seafarers make direct appeal for more action on crew changes
Michelle Wiese Bockmann 21 Jul 2020

‘We don’t want sympathy, we just want recognition,’ seafarers tell Lloyd’s List as part of our campaign to give a voice to more than 300,000 crew unable to sign off and return

Crews tell their stories of resilience, missing families and not stepping on land for nearly six months as coronavirus pandemic leaves them stuck at sea

SEAFARERS have spoken of their pride in providing reliable, constant service during a global pandemic, as well as their dismay at how governments have ignored their plight.

As part of our campaign to give seafarers a voice and provide visibility to a largely invisible problem, Lloyd’s List is publishing exclusive videos recorded aboard vessels which offer a face and a voice for the estimated 300,000 crew overdue to leave vessels.

Capt Mridul from the Maersk Ensenada joined the containership three weeks ago from Sri Lanka. Another 10 seafarers accompanied him there to take part in other crew changes but last-minute regulatory hurdles saw them unable to join their vessels, a common scenario as shipmanagers and operations departments worldwide battle inconsistent, ever-changing health, quarantine and immigration restrictions.

Capt Mridul called for other countries besides India and the UK government to recognise seafarers as key workers.

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