Joint launch from the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC), International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), Maritime as well as Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Singapore Shipping Association (SSA), Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU) as well as Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS)
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) as well as the International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) have actually collectively added US$ 500,000 to the Singapore Shipping Tripartite Alliance Resilience (SG-STAR) Fund to sustain nations that take on ideal techniques for team modification.
This contributes to the S$ 1 million SG-STAR Fund developed by the Maritime as well as Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), Singapore Shipping Association (SSA), Singapore Maritime Officers’ Union (SMOU), as well as Singapore Organisation of Seamen (SOS). The complete fund currently totals up to S$ 1.68 million (about US$ 1.2 million).
Image Credits: itfseafarers.com
Besides ITF as well as IMEC, the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) will certainly additionally back up to the SG-STAR Fund consisting of technological proficiency in delivery. With the payment as well as assistance by ITF, IMEC as well as ICS, the SG-STAR Fund is the initial worldwide tripartite effort uniting similar worldwide companions from the market, unions as well as federal government to assist in secure team adjustments. The fund, based in Singapore, will certainly be paid out for usage upstream in nations where seafarers originate from. We remain to invite similar companions to join us in this worldwide partnership.
ITF General Secretary Mr Stephen Cotton claimed the SG-STAR Fund has the prospective to sustain sensible options to minimize the intensity of the team modification situation for the globe’s 1.4 million seafarers.
“For over six months, the crew change crisis has seen hundreds of thousands of seafarers either trapped on ships or unemployed at home, desperate to get to work. For the world’s seafarers, they need practical solutions now, not tomorrow, to end this humanitarian crisis and get seafarers to and from ships in a safe manner. This joint initiative, working with tripartite partners to promote practical solutions to the crew change crisis, will be key to breaking the current deadlock.”
“We need to see progress especially on ways seafarers can show authorities and employers their negative COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test results from verified medical institutions, so that quarantine times can be reduced on board and while waiting to join vessels,” claimed Stephen Cotton.
“The crew change crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has brought various maritime players to work together more closely than ever before. IMEC has participated and contributed to both global and Singapore based discussions aimed at finding solutions and providing guidance as the crisis evolved. We are pleased to join the SG-STAR Fund and hope bring our expertise to help find solutions to this crisis. I am confident this determined partnership will lead the way to practical approaches to a crisis that is expected to stay with us for months to come,” claimed IMEC Chairman,Capt Belal Ahmed.
Mr Guy Platten, Secretary General of the ICS, claimed, “The COVID-19 pandemic is unfairly trapping seafarers. This initiative is exactly the type of project needed to resolve the crew change crisis.”
“The ILO warmly welcomes the contributions from the ITF, IMEC and ICS to the SG-STAR Fund which not only provides much needed resources but confirms the tripartite and truly global reach of the initiative. This is exactly the type of response that we need to the dramatic and worldwide problems of crew changes,” claimed ILO Director-General, Mr Guy Ryder.
Mr Kitack Lim, Secretary-General of International Maritime Organization, claimed, “This is a commendable global initiative bringing together the collective efforts of governments, the shipping industry and maritime unions to take concrete steps to address the urgent issue of crew change.”
Following the finalizing of the letter of intent for the SG-STAR Fund on 28 August 2020 in between MPA, SSA, SMOU as well as SOS, a job pressure has actually been developed to collaborate with stakeholders on options for secure team modification. Led by SSA Council Member as well as Chair of SSA Services Committee, Mr Nitin Mathur, with first participants from MPA, SMOU as well as SOS, the job pressure will certainly initially collaborate with seafarer providing nations such as the Philippines as well as India on vital efforts, that include the certification of quarantine as well as seclusion centers, COVID-19 PCR screening accreditation, “white-listing” of centers for PCR screening, electronic options for tracking team modification, as well as interactive training sessions for team to assist them comprehend team modification treatments as well as standards.
SSA President Ms Caroline Yang will certainly chair the Governance Committee for the SG-STAR Fund, consisting of MPA Chief Executive Ms Quah Ley Hoon, SMOU General Secretary Ms Mary Liew, SOS President Mr Kam Soon Huat, ITF General Secretary Mr Stephen Cotton, as well as IMECChairman Capt Belal Ahmed. Dr Lam Pin Min, Honorary Member of SSA, as well as Chief Executive Officer of Eagle Eye Centre, has actually been selected as the Senior Advisor to the Governance Committee.
“The SG-STAR Fund initiated by the tripartite partners in Singapore aims to help support ship crew supplying nations enhance facilities and capabilities to establish safe and scalable “bubbles” or “corridors” to allow team modification– from the moment to/from residence nation or native land, to the nation where the team signs up with the ship, in addition to secure holding centers at the home/origin nation as well as the nation where the team modification happens.”
“We are heartened to have ITF and IMEC join our initiative and contribute to the fund. The ICS is also supporting this initiative including their technical expertise in shipping. We look forward to have more like-minded international partners come on board this tripartite initiative so that safe crew change can be further accelerated,” claimed Ms Yang.
Reference: itfseafarers.org
