Myanmar coup puts crewing agents on edge

Myanmar coup puts crewing agents on edge
Sam Chambers February 1, 2021 https://splash247.com/myanmar-coup-puts-crewing-agents-on-edge/

The military coup in Myanmar overnight has sent shockwaves through the Southeast Asian shipping community.

The army has ousted the Aung San Suu Kyi-led government and vowed to take charge for at least the next 12 months.

While the country’s ports remain open today, the main airport at Yangon is closed.

“Lots of crewing agents and shipmanagement companies are quaking over events in Yangon this morning. They all have offices and a presence there. With the total clampdown and the airport closed this will not help the crew change crisis,” a well placed source in Singapore’s maritime community told Splash on condition of anonymity.

Myanmar has a growing presence in terms of crewing, and today’s seagoing workforce numbers around 50,000.