Chennai: The strict Covid-19 protocol that includes the RTPCR negative test results must have caused a long delay in changes to the new crew on the ship in Port Chennai.
While the shipping industry representatives insist on RTPCR and quarantine procedures are only needed when someone tests positive symptoms or shows, Chennai Port Trust (CPT) officials told toi that they only followed the standard operating procedure (SOP) set by the UNI shipping ministry.
Ships change their crew regularly – officers serve for four to six months and sailors nine for up to 10 months – before they are replaced with a set of fresh crew.
The crew change exercises are increasingly trapped because of the increase in Covid-19 cases and subsequent restrictions in various states in India.
The crew change center is Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi.
The majority of engineers come from Chennai while sailors come from Delhi.
They cannot ride ships due to tests and restrictions and needs for quarantine if tested positively.
So, the ship was forced to extend the duration of their crew work.
Officers were forced to work for nine to 10 months while the number of months was increasing for seafarers.
Sanjay Prakars, Implementing Director, VM Maritime said: “We face a strange situation.
About 22% of sailors join in the past week have tested the change of a positive crew and has a negative and takeover of the ship by Indian sailors.
In the next four weeks, RPCR when joining Will cause interference.
As a result, sailors who work on the ship have to surpass their contracts.
“A senior officer of Chennai Port Trust (CPT) said that port management really enforced standard operating procedures all the time.
Under this protocol, sailors must follow certain procedures since they start from their homes until they reach the port.
After taking a boat, they must strictly follow a series of other rules set by the Ministry, he said.
There is a pre-arrival examination and post-arrival examination, followed by the shipping crew comb.
For example, when a sailor landed in a hotel, to reach his room on the first or second floor, sailors are advised to use the stairs, not an elevator.
“Even the customs and immigration authorities were asked not to bring crew members to their rooms to check.
We have asked them to do everything online.
If one crew is affected, it will have a serious impact on the entire crew traveling on the ship,” said the official that.
Community development officers from Sailor Society Manoj Joy said the sailors had been physically emphasized due to restrictions on their flight trips.
More delays and tests are the hassle added to them, he said.