"coronavirus" - Update 6 / Impact for vessels & crew

As advised in coronavirus update 5, Freight & Trade Alliance (FTA) has been in receipt of a number of articles, commentaries, shipping line notices and questions from members in terms of vessels arriving at Australian ports and quarantine periods for vessel / crew.

In conversations with the Australian Border Force (ABF) we were advised a formal advice will be issued shortly. In the interim, we have noted on the website for the Maritime Industry Australia Ltd (MIAL) commentary as follows; (the full article can be seen HERE)

• In brief, the advice for ships crew is the same for anyone else – if they have joined a ship, or been ashore in mainland china and returned to the ship from 1 February they will not be permitted to come ashore in Australia within the 14 day window from last being in China.
• If any individual member of the crew meets these requirements, the entire crew will be treated as requiring the 14 day quarantine period.

Paul Zalai, Director FTA, has also spoken with Mike Gallacher,CEO Ports Australia, and we can confirm as follows:

In speaking with Ports Australia we understand the scenario that if crew have been at sea for 14 days before arriving on our shores, then the coronavirus is deemed to be no longer a threat.
 
For example, if a vessel heads from mainland China to Sydney and the voyage takes 12 days, then the vessel will have to sit offshore for 2 days before a pilot will meet them.
 
We understand that Ports Australia have been working with government officials (Health, ABF and Agriculture) and that a formal advice will soon be released.
 
We are also advised that the Port Authority of New South Wales has issued a communication to NSW Port stakeholders which in part advises as follows;

Port Authority of New South Wales (Port Authority) is taking the potential exposure to its employees to the novel coronavirus seriously and would like to share you the current steps being taken to mitigate exposure.

The Port Authority will delay pilotage services to ships that have transited directly from China which have been as sea for less than the 14 day quarantine period

We have also provided a link HERE as to how this is playing out in the wider global ports arena and the possible downstream impacts.

FTA will continue to monitor the situation and keep members / industry updated on pertinent developments.