IMEC, ITF launch testing and quarantine facilities

IMEC, ITF launch testing and quarantine facilities
Yashika F. Torib October 21, 2020 https://www.manilatimes.net/2020/10/21/business/maritime-business/imec-i...

Quarantine and testing facilities for Filipino seafarers were recently launched by the International Maritime Employers Council (IMEC) and the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) in Manila.

In a statement, IMEC said the move aims to address the concerns raised by many international crew change hubs in recent weeks over the authenticity of Covid tests obtained in the Philippines, and over the efficacy of pre-embarkation quarantine served by joiners before being deployed.

It can be recalled that the Maritime Port Authority (MPA) in Singapore reported an incident in August where a crew member who joined a vessel in one of their ports tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) and that other seafarers arriving in their country have also tested positive with the virus. MPA raised the alarm on the unreliability of Covid test results of seafarers who were deployed to join ships.

A month later, two Filipino seafarers were diagnosed with the virus while onboard the bulk manganese carrier Patricia Oldendorff that anchored in Port Hedland, Australia from Manila.

With the launching of a one-stop-shop for swabbing and quarantine facilities for Filipino seafarers, IMEC and ITF have also taken on the services of a third-party security company that will assist with the monitoring of the quarantine phase.

Blockchain technology will also be used to render tamper-proof test certificates that can be verified by the local authorities of the receiving country.

Meanwhile, the ITF-affiliated Associated Marine Officers and Seamen’s Union of the Philippines (AMOSUP) will provide its government-approved testing facility to process the tests.

Two hotels in Manila and Makati were also selected by IMEC and ITF, reserving 100 and 200 single-occupancy rooms from each hotel respectively.

Both facilities will be available for swabbing and quarantine joiners from IMEC member companies here in the Philippines starting October 28.

The IMEC statement added, these facilities are in the process of being “white-listed” by the Singaporean authorities. “We hope this will be in place by the time they start operating, we are also in discussions with other governments,” IMEC said.

Testing and quarantine procedures for crew

Seafarers will be tested upon arrival in the hotels selected and again at the end of the quarantine period. Swabbing will take place in their rooms and results will be provided within 24 hours.

Health safety protocols are ensured during quarantine as the joining crew will be served their meals in the rooms and their temperatures monitored twice daily.

IMEC reported that the manning agency of the crew will be responsible for their transportation to and from the facility to the air or seaport. It added that expenses incurred for accommodation, food, and testing will be shouldered by the manning agency and all other costs will be placed under the ITF grant.

The project was completed in partnership with Western Shipping Southeast Asia, Inc., Döhle, Bernard Schulte Shipmanagement, and Career Philippines Shipmanagement.