Seafarers and logistics workers need priority COVID-19 vaccination

摘要

Seafarers and their counterparts onshore have until now played a largely invisible but nevertheless crucial role in transport chains. Their professionalism and dedication to keep world trade flowing have, however, not received the deserved recognition. The COVID-19 crisis has worsened their plight. Hundreds of thousands of seafarers remain stranded on board because of obstacles thrown up by authorities, including port States, that prevent crew changes and repatriation. If there is one good thing to emerge from the recent Suez incident, which saw Egypt's crucial Canal closed to traffic for several days by a huge marooned boxship, it is a growing awareness among the general public that without a smooth functioning maritime industry we all suffer from reduced trade. Mainstream media organisations had in many cases not published an article about Suez Canal shipping in years, if ever, but they were for a few short days suddenly focused firmly on the intricacies of our industry.