Caution required with more COVID cases on overseas vessels

The Mari­time Uni­on says extra cau­tion is needed in New Zea­l­and ports fol­low­ing more cases of COVID-19 on over­seas ves­sels.

Mari­time Uni­on Nation­al Sec­ret­ary Craig Har­ris­on says over­seas ships have to come into New Zea­l­and, but vigil­ance is required.

The Mar­shall Islands-flagged con­tain­er ship Mat­tina in Bluff has two COVID pos­it­ive crew mem­bers aboard, with the entire crew under quar­ant­ine on the ves­sel.

A vac­cin­ated pilot from South­port had been aboard the ves­sel, but no oth­er work­ers had been.

Mr Har­ris­on says a recent spike in COVID cases amongst over­seas crew mem­bers is con­cern­ing to port work­ers.

New, more vir­u­lent strains of COVID are anoth­er threat, he says.

How­ever, if safety pro­ced­ures were strictly fol­lowed with the use of PPE (per­son­al pro­tect­ive equip­ment) and phys­ic­al dis­tan­cing, then risk could be min­im­ised.

The vac­cin­a­tion of all port work­ers com­ing into prox­im­ity with over­seas ves­sels is anoth­er pri­or­ity, says Mr Har­ris­on.

“The real­ity is we require ships com­ing into New Zea­l­and with essen­tial imports, so we have to keep to best prac­tice and con­stantly eval­u­ate any new risks.”

Mr Har­ris­on says glob­al ship­ping com­pan­ies should be doing more to ensure inter­na­tion­al crew are vac­cin­ated and tested.

He says sea­farers are provid­ing an essen­tial ser­vice to New Zea­l­and, and there is an oblig­a­tion by New Zea­l­and to ensure their health and well­being is con­sidered.