On April 23, Singapore authorities announced a travel ban affecting visitors and long-term pass holders who have been in India within the last 14 days, including those just transiting through the country. This restriction, which was implemented by the Maritime and Port Authority of Singapore (MPA), also applies to crew changes, meaning that crew members with recent travel histories to India would be barred from entering Singapore. This includes crew set to sign on or off vessels that have recently called at Indian ports or those who are transiting through India on their way to Singapore.
The MPA’s circular indicated that these regulations commenced at 23:59 on April 23 and would remain in effect for an unspecified period. The decision to restrict arrivals from India comes in light of a severe surge in COVID-19 cases, with India reporting over 314,000 new infections and more than 2,100 fatalities in one day. These measures echo earlier restrictions imposed in late 2020 and early 2021 when similar bans were placed on crew changes for seafarers who had traveled to the UK and South Africa due to new COVID-19 variants.
The implications of the current ban are particularly significant for the shipping industry, which heavily relies on Indian crew members, especially in officer roles. This ban is expected to create substantial challenges in crew management, as the industry had recently begun to stabilize crew changes following strict protocols put in place when reopening as a crew change hub in June 2020.
By April 12, the MPA had facilitated over 120,000 crew changes in Singapore since resuming operations, indicating the importance of Singapore as a central point for crew changes amid ongoing global travel difficulties.
In summary, the latest travel restrictions highlight the ongoing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, especially in regions severely affected by the virus. The MPA’s measures aim to mitigate risks associated with the ongoing health crisis while balancing the needs of the maritime industry.
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