Indian seafarers received their single-dose vaccines at Florida ports
Indian seafarers can heave a sigh of relief, especially those at sea now (ironically). 13 Indian crew onboard vessel Antigua Barbuda received their single-dose vaccine at Port Everglades in Florida.
Corporate vaccination programme
V Group recently confirmed its crew including 13 Indian seafarers onboard their vessel, Cabrera received Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine. In a statement, Franck Kayser, Dania Ship Management Managing Director, commented: ‘’We are grateful to the USA and in particular to the Port Everglades Authorities, for identifying the necessity for seafarers to be vaccinated.’’. Dania Ship Management is a subsidiary of V. Group.
Noting all crew are under severe distress from crew change crisis due to pandemic-induced border restrictions, V Group fully supports seafarers receiving vaccination and rolled their vaccination programme. Cabrera’s crew is the first batch to participate in this initiative.
V Group added the company is working closely with various industry associations to ensure UN bodies recognise seafarers as “key workers”. The company also urged nations to vaccinate seafarers at the earliest possible opportunity.
Employers can take the first step
Vaccines are not totally out of reach for Indian seafarers, which explains the aggressive campaigning for actions to inoculate seafarers. If V Group can implement their vaccination initiative for their crew, nothing should stop the others from doing similar. The usual explanation for evading that this is costs.
In the United States where vaccines are abundant, health officials and non-profit organisation personnel administer shots onboard tankers and carriers. Some have even deployed shuttles to nearby pharmacies and clinics for crew’s vaccines.
The current business sentiments have shown signs of heightened shipping demands. For biosecurity purposes, if the industry players want to remain afloat, it is a cost that does not warrant a “wait-and-see” mentality. Employers who are dealing with labour shortages can implement similar measures to facilitate voyages. Ample qualified seafarers are looking for employment onboard through Marine Online’s crewing arm. These are the crew that will be loyal because at a pandemic-stricken time like this, their welfare is taken seriously.
Crewing Online News Team
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