SIMIC

The worldwide agreement comes after hundreds of thousands of seafarers have been left stranded working aboard ships beyond their initial contracts and are unable to be relieved since the outbreak of the Covid crisis.

The crisis has caused seafarers to experience fatigue and physical and mental damage. It also increases accidents and environmental disasters, while posing a threat to the integrity of maritime supply chains.

Worldwide national authorities continue to see crew changes and international travel as a risk due to the Covid crisis, causing the disaster to be delayed as long as it has.

"They have become hostage of the situation and unable to disembark from their ships. Yet, we can put an end to the crew change crisis without any risk to the general public health," said Ocean Network Express (ONE) CEO Jeremy Nixon.

V Group chairman Graham Westgarth declared the importance seafarers play in the Covid crisis by providing medical supplies across the world.

"We call on our peers, government bodies, and other stakeholders to join us in our efforts to ensure that the rights and wellbeing of the frontline workers of global supply chains are respected," said Mr Westgarth.