Schematic diagram of the network (Source: foreign websites)
What is different from normal during the epidemic period is that PSCO will send an email to the ship one or two days in advance, informing them that they will board the ship for inspection. This is a good thing, which can make the ship prepare for the inspection in advance. However, although they also know that time is tight, However, it is still necessary to put the required Prior to our visits on board as soon as possible. Including instructions and expectations, General Information, Questionnaire, Vessel Certificates, Ports of Call, Crew Information and Crew Change, etc. are completed and sent back to them as required.
These requirements are not difficult for experienced captains; The problem is that in instructions and expectations, they ask for "Please provide a copy of your vessel’s covid-19 procedure"-this requirement will really be ignored if you don’t read it carefully, because there are too many instructions and expectations, which are full of dozens of lines. Although there are some introductions and/or requirements/guidance about COVID-19 in the world or every shipowner, I believe that most ships (including ours) do not have vessel’s COVID-19 procedure, especially in English.
At that time, when they informed me, it was already noon, and the ship planned to dock the next day (Vancouver). In order to leave a "good initial impression" on PSCO, as the captain, I quickly integrated the information, compiled the COVID-19 procedure of my ship below this article, together with other information they requested, and sent it to PSCO before 5 pm (Duringoffice hours) that day.
I don’t know if our quickresponse really left a "good impression" on them. Our ship stayed in Vancouver, Canada for four days, but the port State Supervision and Inspection Officer (PSCO) who was scheduled to visit the ship didn’t come at last. Although we are relieved (after all, loading bulk grain is very busy in Hong Kong), we are still a little frustrated: we have made a lot of preparations for port state supervision and inspection, but we are in a "useless place"-our ship was written about a defect in Vancouver port state supervision and inspection more than a year ago. To be honest, this time we held our breath to save some face. After all, we just passed the port state supervision and inspection of USCG in Long Beach in the United States 20 days ago, and we are confident.
In my spare time, I have slightly revised vessel’s COVID-19 procedure, and briefly introduced the situation for the reference of peers. If there are any inaccuracies, please communicate and correct them.
Schematic diagram of the network (Source: foreign websites)
Due to the pandemic of COVID-19 globally, seafarers on board arefacingsevere situation and/ orparticular challenges to carrying out their functions and maintainingourhealth conditionin the time ofthe COVID-19. This Shipboard Procedure against COVID-19 providesguidance on protecting seafarers working on board and management ofCOVID-19 cases that may occuron board m.v. Uni Blossom,which should be observed and followed upaccordingly.
1.Officerin charge of the implementation of shipboard COVID-19 procedure
2/Ois designated to take charge of medical care and the implementationof shipboard COVID-19 procedure on board the ship.In case 2/ O fails to perform this designated responsibility, C/Oshould be the substitute.
2.CrewChange
1.1 All theon-signers mustbe subject toPre-boarding screening to identify any symptomatic individuals orthose exposed to COVID-19. If any symptoms are identified, then theperson should not travel and instead seek medical care.
1.2 All theon-signersare to complete a locator card
1.3 SSD should berigorously maintained during the handover
1.4 Carry outshipboard training on COVID-19 for the on-signers, including butnot limited to
(1)Signsand symptoms of COVID-19
(2)Proceduresthat are to be followed when a person displays signs and symptomssuggestive of COVID-19,
(3)Rules aboutisolation of crew members who develop symptoms suggestive ofCOVID-19.
(4)Hand hygiene,respiratory etiquette and social distancing.
3.Createfour zones and procedure categories on board
(1)Potentiallycontaminated zones
(2)Zoneswhere only crew interact
(3)Zonesor activities where crew members interact with shore personnel
(4)Zoneswhere no interaction takes place among crew members or among crewmembers and shore personnel.
4.PPE
2/ Oshould gointo details for the actual ROB of PPE against COVID on board atleast once per week and applyfor PPE inadvance so as to maintain sufficient p rotective materials (includingPPE) on board for at least 2 months consumption,taking the ship’sitinerary into account, against thelist of PPE instock as described in item 3 in the COVID record book.
5.Preventivemeasures
(1)Minimizethe number of non-crew members boarding the ship and ensure thatshore personnel move only into authorized zones.
(2)Shorepersonnel should be subject to body temperature observation and useouter walkways rather than gaining access through the crew’squarters; and be to wear protective masks from embarkation todisembarkation.
(3)Handhygiene stations, such as handwashing facilities and dispensers foralcohol-based hand rub, should be put in prominent places around theship and be accessible to all staff, contractors, customers andvisitors, along with communication materials that promote handhygiene and other preventive measures.
(4) Crewmembers must remain at least 1 m apart from one another and fromshore personnel. In situations in which physical distancing of atleast 1 m cannot b e implemented in full, the master should considerwhether that activity needs to continue, and if it does, take allmitigating actions possible to reduce the risk of transmission.
(5)Avoidnon-essential contact or close proximity with other seafarers andother other persons
(6)Crewshould return back to their cabin after working hours
(7)Ship’screw and shore personnel in different working zones on the ship
(8)Cleaningand disinfection in the shore personnel working zones should becarried out after shore personnel have disembarked.
(9)High-touchsurfaces on board the ship should be identified as priorities fordisinfection. These include doors and windows and their handles, kitchen and food preparation areas, countertops, bathroom surfaces,toilets and taps, touchscreen personal devices, keyboards on personalcomputers and work surfaces. The disinfectant and its concentrationshould be carefully selected to avoid damaging surfaces and to avoidor minimize toxic effect.
6.Managingsuspected COVID-19 cases and their contact
(1)Themaster is to determine whether the situation is serious andnecessitates reaching out for immediate shore side medical supportand advice or radio medical assistance; or whether it can wait untilthe ship reaches the next port of call.
Shouldthe Master be in doubt, shore-based support from the followingexperts for medical advice couldbe available,
Dr.Wang Lei Mobile: 133 2331 5109
or
TheInternational Radio Medical Center (C.I.R.M.)
Telex:612068 C.I.R.M. I
Telephone:+39 06 59290263
MobileGSM Telephone: +39 348 3984229
Fax:+39 06 5923333
E-mail:telesoccorso@cirm.it
ItalianRadio Coastal Stations: Ask for C.I.R.M.
Telex:MEDRAD or DH MEDICO to obtain priority of transmission.
(2)Moderateand severe cases (cases that meet the case definition of COVID-19 andhave clinical signs of pneumonia, which include fever, cough, and abreathing respiratory rate of >20 breaths per minute) should bereported and transferred to a shore side medical facility.
(3)Contactsshould be quarantined for 14 days from the last time they wereexposed to the suspected case, if operationally safe to do so. If acontact develops any signs or symptoms, the contact should wear amedical mask and be treated as a suspected case. Persons who arequarantined need adequate food, water, and hygiene provisions.
7.Crewphysical condition monitoring
The2/ O should take every crew’s body temperature at least twice a dayin the morning and in the afternoonand maintain the consistent record for every crew me mber on boardfrom their embarkation to their disembarkation; the Master should report the crew physical condition to owners ,managers and/or all the parties concerned as required (i.e. thecharters) ondaily basis.
8.Reporting
TheMastershouldget the Traveller contact information for each crew readily availableregardlessof whether ourcrewintend to go on shore leave, sign-off/discharge from the vessel, orif ourcrewintend to stay on board during the vessel’s stop in portso as to submit the information to the authorities as requiredbecause it will be a lot of work andreply the COVID-19 Health screening questionnaire to the portauthorities in due course prior to arrival at each port of call inorder to prevent any finedue to contravention of the quarantine act/regulation/requirement; besides, the Master shouldalways informs the competent authority of next port of call if thereis a possible COVID-19 case on board.
9.Crewshoreside leaving
Ifshoreside visits are permitted, seafarers should follow WHO’srecommended public health and social measures, including the types ofPPE necessary, physical distancing measures and the availability ofhand hygiene facilities.
Additionalmeasures to be taken during shoreside visits include proper foodhygiene practices, including in live markets where transmission mayoccur from animals to humans.
10.Crewdisembarkation
Thehealth of the offsigners should be monitored prior to disembarkation.
Thecrew must comply with relevant public health regulations andpolicies, avoid contact with the public and fellow crew members, andremain in the hotel room except when seeking medical attention orperforming essential activities, including exercise, while respectingphysical distancing advice, not use public facilities in the hotel,dine in their room or if room service is not available, purchase foodfor takeaway or dine seated alone in a restaurant within the hotel,regularly self-monitor for symptoms including fever, observe goodhand and respiratory hygiene and physical distancing measures whenthey need to leave the hotel room.
11.Others
The ICS COVID-19 Guidance for ship operators for the protection of thehealth of seafarers ,which is being attached in the record book, shouldbe consultedwhenever necessary.
Capt Li Candong
Master of m.v. Uni Blossom
Appendix–COVID Record book
M.V. Un Blossom Agains tCOVID-19 Record Book
1.Shipboard COVID-19 Procedure
2.ICSCOVID-19 Guidance for ship operators for the protection of the healthof seafarers
3.Listof PPE in stock
4.Crewphysical record
5.Shipdaily sterilize record
6.Crewvaccination against COVID-19 Cert
7.CrewVaccination against COVID-19 record
8.CrewPCR test cert
9.Crewshore leave record
10.CrewChange record
11.CrewCOVID-19 training record