seafarertimes.com ~ Maritime News for Filipino Seafarers

Sailors seek early COVID-19 vaccinations
Tint Zaw Tun Dec 3 2020 https://www.mmtimes.com/news/sailors-seek-early-covid-19-vaccinations.html

Seafarers have asked State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi to designate them as essential workers so they will have priority for the COVID-19 vaccine, said U Soe Min Aung, chair of the Myanmar Seamen’s Federation.

Seafarers' wellbeing in a 'COVID-Normal' world
December 1 2020 https://www.lexology.com/library/detail.aspx?g=445a8467-53b2-4c39-affa-c...

Feds: Cargo ship crew dumped trash, oily rags off N.C. coast
3 Dec 2020 https://www.carolinacoastonline.com/regional/article_4f0a1374-34d5-11eb-...

Singapore approves Manila crew-change hotels
Declan Bush 02 Dec 2020 https://lloydslist.maritimeintelligence.informa.com/LL1134952/Singapore-...

The International Maritime Employers’ Council hopes its hotel scheme will reassure governments such as Australia’s that its seafarers are virus-free, so they relax rules and allow more crew changes

Four seafarers kidnapped from product tanker in West Africa
CHRISTIAN CARLSEN 01.12.20

Four seafarers from the Philippines, Russia and Romania have been kidnapped after pirates attacked a product tanker vessel off the coast of Ghana in West Africa. This is the 24th time this year that seafarers were kidnapped in pirate attacks around the Gulf of Guinea.

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US harassing Chinese crews raises questions of 'discriminatory enforcement'
Gavin van Marle 01/12/2020 https://theloadstar.com/us-harassing-chinese-ship-and-air-crews-raises-q...

UN calls for seafarers to be designated as key workers to resolve crew change crisis
Grant Rowles December 2, 2020 https://splash247.com/un-calls-for-seafarers-to-be-designated-as-key-wor...

The United Nations General Assembly has called on UN Member States to designate seafarers as key workers and implement measures to facilitate crew change.

Covid: Stranded seafarers 'must get Christmas leave'
Justin Parkinson 1 Dec 2020 https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-55106772

The UK must push other countries to ensure that ship crew stranded because of Covid restrictions get home leave this Christmas, a union has said.

It is estimated that 400,000 seafarers, up to 2,000 of them from the UK, are currently stuck on vessels.

Five priorities for a sustainable ocean economy
Jane Lubchenco,Peter M. Haugan &Mari Elka Pangestu 2 December 2020 https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-020-03303-3

Unleash the ocean’s potential to boost economies sustainably while addressing climate change, food security and biodiversity.

UN urges help for virus-stranded ship crews
Agence France-Presse Dec 2, 2020 https://www.rappler.com/world/global-affairs/un-urges-help-virus-strande...

The maritime industry also hopes the qualification will allow seafarers to be among priority groups to benefit from future vaccines against the virus.