COVID-19
Ports in the Fight against COVID-19
In the current unprecedented times of a global threat posed by a coronavirus pandemic that has triggered dire consequences for whole societies and nations, the maritime industry is playing an essential role in the response.
INTRODUCTION
In the current unprecedented times of a global threat posed by a coronavirus pandemic that has triggered dire consequences for whole societies and nations, the maritime industry is playing an essential role in the response. Around 80% of global trade is transported by commercial shipping. This includes currently most-needed items such as vital medical supplies and equipment, as well as food, energy, raw materials and manufactured goods and components. These are essential for addressing people’s basic needs and for preserving many jobs in manufacturing, maintaining international trade and, in the end, sustaining the global economy.
In view of this, it is important to keep supply chains open and to allow maritime trade to continue. This requires that the world’s ports remain open for ship calls and that ship crews’ changeover is allowed. Further, in these challenging times, some additional measures should be undertaken to protect the staff working in port communities and to ensure continuity of ports’ operations.
BEST PRACTICES
Based on several documents received from ports that are part of the UNCTAD TrainForTrade Network, the following measures have been implemented/observed and could serve as generic guidelines:
- Constantly promote and enforce preventive hygiene measures (handwashing)
- Limit physical interaction between onboard and onshore staff. Ship crew should communicate with quayside staff by radio or telephone
- Respect physical distancing rules – stay 2 metres apart
- Increase the use of digital documentation to limit human contact to the minimum
- Provide adequate and sufficient protective equipment to the staff (face masks, gloves, hand sanitizers, glasses)
- Augment the sanitation of surfaces that come in contact with hands
- Establish a point of control in the perimeter of the port area to monitor temperature and related symptoms (automated temperature screening) and equip it with anti-bacterial solutions and sanitizers
- Establish a waste disposal policy for “suspicious” cases
- Fumigate and disinfect all passenger terminals/areas
- Disinfect and monitor cargo
- Have a passenger information system for easy contact tracing and an isolated holding and testing area for COVID-19 symptomatic port users
- Institute a protocol for disembarking passengers/crew requiring immediate medical care in coordination with the national health authority (1)
- Identify decontamination areas in the port buildings
(1) Under the International Labour Organization’s (ILO) Maritime Labour Convention of 2006, flag States must ensure that all seafarers on ships flying their flag are covered by adequate measures for the protection of their health and that they have access to prompt and adequate medical care whilst working onboard. The Convention also requires port States to ensure that seafarers on board ships in their territory who are in need of immediate medical care are given access to medical facilities onshore.
RECOMMENDATIONS
It is crucial to keep the country’s borders open for all forms of freight transport, in particular ports considered to be essential national assets. Governments need to ensure that health measures are implemented in ways that minimize unnecessary interference with international traffic and trade; in particular, by respecting the requirements of “free pratique” for ships under the International Health Regulations (IHR). The principles of avoiding unnecessary restrictions or delay in port entry for ships, persons and property on board are also embodied in articles I and V and section 6 of the annex of the Convention of the Facilitation of Maritime Traffic (FAL Convention). This is underscored by the International Labor Organisation (ILO) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
The way forward
As ports moved forward to win the battle against this pandemic, several milestones needed to be achieved:
- Boost Internet capabilities and accessibility inside and outside port areas for port workers and users alike. Connectivity as mentioned by the World Bank Group is a “public good” after all;
- Increase connectivity and data interoperability in Global Supply Chains by implementing Port Community Systems and taking advantage of Digital Ledger Technology the likes of Blockchain as promoted by the World Economic Forum (WEF);
- Develop shorter and more diversified supply chains supported by advanced automation and labor-protective relocations in line with climate change objectives;
- Reinforce port regional cooperation to build more resilient trade nodes to brace for future COVID-19 pandemic-like shocks;
- Design new policies for resilient and inclusive ports to reach out to the most vulnerable people who are often dependent on the port communities’ economic and social fabric; and
- Engage in innovative training approaches and well-being at all-staff levels leveraging on the technology.
Lastly, thanks to the support of the United Nations Development Account (https://www.un.org/development/desa/da/da-response-to-covid-19/) and following requests from port members, UNCTAD engaged in the development of a TRAINFORTRADE training and capacity building package called “Building Port Resilience Against Pandemics” (BPR) that will be made available to port communities around the world.
The structure of this BPR course has been defined during eBrainstorming sessions in May and June 2020 with port experts from the Dominican Republic, Ghana, Nigeria, Malaysia, Indonesia, Ireland, Spain, Brazil, Greece and the IAPH Secretariat.
Crisis Protocol
The following section presents an example of a crisis protocol that can be used as a guide on actions that should be implemented in relation to strictly defined crisis levels.
Information collected from the following entities
(Ports, Authorities, etc...)
ENGLISH-SPEAKING Entities
SPANISH-SPEAKING Entities
FRENCH-SPEAKING Entities
OTHER PORTS
| COUNTRY | ENTITY | DOCUMENTS |
| United Kingdom | Port of London Authority | NOTICE TO AGENTS, BERTH AND SHIP OPERATORS No.8 |
| United Kingdom | Port of Liverpool (Peel Port) | Peel Port – COVID19 Pilot Embarkation Procedures (1) |
| United Kingdom | Maritime Coastguard Agency | NAVIGATION: Vessel Traffic Services – COVID-19 Impact and Safety Measures |
| United Kingdom | British Ports Association | UK ports and coronavirus |
| South Africa | Transnet National Ports Authority | Chief Harbour Master – Notice No. 4 – Health Risk Alert – COVID-19 |
| South Korea | Busan Port Authority’s | Korea’s Fight against COVID19 |
| South Korea | Busan Port Authority’s | Busan Port Authority’s COVID-19 Contingency Plans |
Relevant Links
United Nations General Assembly
International cooperation to address challenges faced by seafarers as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic to support global supply chains ( Resolution A/75/L.37 Nov 2020)
A_75_L.37_English A_75_L.37_French A_75_L.37_Spanish
World Health Organisation (WHO)
Updated WHO recommendations for international traffic in relation to COVID-19 outbreak
Operational considerations for managing COVID-19 cases/outbreak on board ships
International Maritime Organization (IMO)
Protocols to ensure safe ship crew changes during the COVID-19 pandemic Circular No.4204-Add.14
World Customs Organization (WCO)
WCO Guidance on how to communicate during a crisis
French version Orientation de l’OMD…
United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)
Observatory on Border Crossings Status due to COVID-19
Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO)
CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) – IMPLEMENTATION MEASURES FOR SEA TRANSPORT
European Sea Ports Organisation (ESPO)
COVID-19 | Transport keeps us going
International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH)
COVID-19 related updates of the IAPH Member Ports
Wilhelmsen Group
COVID-19 Global Port Restrictions Map
SAFETY4SEA
How coronavirus affects shipping: Everything you need to know
The Neptude Declaration
The Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change (Jan. 2021)
CLEANSHIPPING INTERNATIONAL
Shipping industry presents IMO with COVID-19 trade recommendations
EUROPEAN SHIPPERS COUNCIL (ESC)
https://europeanshippers.eu/news/esc-covid-19-map/
EU Commission
The European Commission has issued guidelines aimed at helping to repatriate seafarers stuck on ships amid coronavirus lock-down measures and resolve the current crew-change
Directrices sobre medidas de gestión de fronteras para proteger la salud y garantizar la disponibilidad de los bienes y de los servicios esenciales
Oil Companies International Marine Forum
Best practice precautions for carrying out the pre-transfer conference during the COVID 19 Pandemic : Ship-shore safety checklist, Bunkering safety checklist
Precauciones de mejores prácticas para llevar a cabo la conferencia previa a la transferencia durante la pandemia COVID
UNCTAD COVID-19
- A 10-point action plan to strengthen international trade and transport facilitation in times of pandemicUNCTAD Press Covid
- Coronavirus (COVID-19) : News, Analysis and Resources
MedPorts Association
Ports Responses facing Covid-19 www.medports.org
DANUBE COMMISSION (DC)
Information regarding the status of all national COVID-19 restrictions for the Danube