Seafarers can look forward to some fresh air and relaxation courtesy of a welfare organisation
Crew would be pleased to know that through the non-profit entity, they can disembark their vessels to run errands, or just catch up with fellow crew at the center. It is getting busier as crew took the opportunity to get off.
Home away from home
Seafarers has the United States’ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to thank as it recently alleviated some restrictions which hindered crew from going ashore. The only condition which may involve extra steps would be presenting vaccination statuses. Apart from that, seafarers just need to produce a letter from their employer proving the crew’s authorisation to enter or transit through the United States for the purpose of operating a vessel.
Riding on the provision, the United States’ International Seafarers Center took the liberty to offer seafarers temporary housing and food. Pat Pettit, the facility’s manager shared that crew could even go for shopping trips or attend a church service. The center is stocked with piles of puzzles, hundreds of books, a snooker and foosball table, as well as massage chairs and bunk beds. She added, “Sailors also appreciate just walking around on land to get rid of those sea legs.”
The center also helped offer vaccinations to crew members. As at 19 November 2021, the number of crew on stops to the twin ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach that received the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine since May 2021 had surpassed 9,000, including those administrated both onboard ships and ashore to crew members on short breaks.
As at September 2021, an estimate by the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) revealed only one in four of the world’s 1.6 million seafarers was fully vaccinated, and a majority was unlikely to get shots through national programmes until next year. Guy Platten, ICS’ Secretary-General, urged ports to follow the example of American hubs and inoculate sailors of every nationality to “avoid delays when workers reach other countries.”
Crewing Online News Team
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