RightShip joins over 300 companies and organizations to help resolve a humanitarian crisis on the world’s oceans

RightShip announces it has answered the worldwide call to action and signed the Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change, joining over 300 companies and organizations to solve the crew change crisis as soon as possible.

Led by the Global Maritime Forum, the Declaration has been developed by a taskforce of stakeholders from across the maritime value chain and defines four main actions to facilitate crew changes and keep global supply chains functioning:

• Recognize seafarers as key workers and give them priority access to Covid-19 vaccines
• Establish and implement gold standard health protocols based on existing best practice
• Increase collaboration between ship operators and charterers to facilitate crew changes
• Ensure air connectivity between key maritime hubs for seafarers

“Today I signed the Global Maritime Forum led Neptune Declaration on Seafarer Wellbeing and Crew Change on behalf of all my colleagues at RightShip. The mission of RightShip to improve safety in the maritime industry is intrinsically connected to the health and wellbeing of the seafarers. Recognising them as global key workers and giving them priority access to Covid-19 vaccines is key to securing the supply chain.” Said Steen Lund, CEO of RightShip.

Despite significant efforts by international organizations, unions, companies and some governments to resolve this untenable crew change crisis we are starting to see the situation getting worse as governments bring in more travel bans in response to the new strains of the Covid-19 virus. A number of key issues leave this critical situation unresolved: national authorities around the world continue to see crew changes and international travel as a Covid-19 risk; high-quality health protocols are not being consistently implemented by ship operators; and the disruption of international air travel has reduced the number of flights between traditional crew change hubs and major seafaring nations.

Steen further commented “Providing seafarers the necessary solutions to timely sign off and on vessels and travel home to their families is our duty to facilitate. We encourage our partners and customers to join in actively supporting all seafarers through these principles.”

The Neptune Declaration has been developed by a taskforce of stakeholders from across the maritime value chain including A. M. Nomikos, Cargill, Dorian LPG, GasLog, Global Maritime Forum, International Chamber of Shipping, International Maritime Employers’ Council, International Transport Workers’ Federation, ONE, Philippine Transmarine Carriers, Sustainable Shipping Initiative, Synergy Group, V. Group, and World Economic Forum.

Read the Neptune Declaration here at the GMF website, where you can find further information about how to get involved.