Solving difficulties for sea transport Many shipping companies have reported that the low rate of issuance of road permits and pandemic prevention regulations in some localities are affecting the delivery process, increasing the risk of inventory piling up at the port. Therefore, shipping enterprises propose to have an open mechanism for maritime activities. At the same time giving priority to vaccination to effectively maintain the supply chain of goods.

Localities need to consider and relax regulations on vaccination and allow crew members
with PCR test certificates and traveling from green areas to move through the province
to serve alternative work. Photo: Internet.

Proposing to increase the issuance of road permits

Referring to the current difficulties, General Director of Vietnam Maritime Corporation (VIMC) Nguyen Canh Tinh said, the current difficulty is that ships docked at Hai Phong seaport crews were replaced, but the crews were reserved in many different locations. In replacing them, they are forced to meet the requirements of 14 days quarantine if they enter Hai Phong city, which means that the ship has to wait 14 days at the port, incurring many costs.

“In fact, crew members only go through Hai Phong, but do not stay. Therefore, the Ministry of Transport needs to suggest to provinces and cities to create conditions for seafarers to have PCR test certificates and accept Covid-19 prevention rules to be able to board the ship," said General Director Nguyen Canh Tinh.

Having the same difficulty as VIMC, Deputy Director of Vinaship Ocean Shipping Company Duong Ngoc Tu said that the company's ships mainly dock at Quang Ninh seaport.

At present, the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province has issued a regulation that people from outside the province must have a valid PCR test certificate and two doses of the vaccine. This regulation makes the replacement of crew members difficult for the company because the percentage of crew members who have received the second injection is quite low.

"Localities need to consider and relax regulations on vaccination, allow crewmembers with PCR test certificates and travel from green areas to move through the province to serve replacement work," said Mr. Duong Ngoc Tu.

According to Mr. Ngo Anh Tuan, General Secretary of the Vietnam Association of Maritime Agents and Brokers, with the current situation, the activity that needs to be paid attention to is the changing of crew members. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it is difficult for Vietnamese crew members to change as according to international maritime labor laws, many crew members have worked for ten months at sea and have not been replaced.

“At the same time, some localities are following social distancing according to Directive 16 such as Ho Chi Minh City, the amount of travel permits issued to agents is very limited, only one to two are issued for each business. Meanwhile, the implementation of regulations on immigration procedures or when the ship has problems also need the presence of agents. In the context of the pandemic, foreign ships limit people on board, the role of maritime agents is even more urgent. The time it takes for each container ship to enter the port for cargo handling is usually very fast, only from 20 to 26 hours, but it is difficult for the agent to carry out procedures for the ship to enter and exit the port, especially at midnight," Mr. Tuan shared.

Prioritize vaccination for seaport workers

Regarding vaccination, according to preliminary statistics, more than 4,200 seafarers have been vaccinated at seaports. The number of employees working at the seaport is more than 19,400 people and nearly 2,500 employees of shipping lines, pilots, agents and maritime services have been vaccinated.

Mr. Nguyen Canh Tinh also said that VIMC currently has 78 ships operating domestically and internationally with about 4,000 crew members. However, the number of sailors who are vaccinated against Covid-19 is only about 10%. The characteristics of ships are long-term, continuous operations at sea. Crew members infected with Covid-19 during navigation cannot have access to medical facilities on shore. The danger is not only for one person but for all 22 crew members on the ship, seriously affecting the supply chain transporting goods.

Businesses are concerned not only for seafarers but also for on-site staff and workers because they have not been given priority for vaccines. Mr. Phung Ngoc Minh, Deputy General Director of Saigon Newport Corporation, said that the local workforce in seaport areas should be given priority to vaccinate to be able to continue to work safely because if they are infected and cannot function, it will disrupt the supply chain of goods.

Facing the above situation, Minister of Transport Nguyen Van The said that local authorities also need to reconsider the issue of road permits. Operation at seaports is special, in order to maintain it, there must be enough forces from customs, port authorities, health care workers, drivers, forwarding agents to workers, etc. The rate of issuing road permits must reach 70 - 80% to ensure enough human resources to participate in exploitation in the port area, not only 10-20% as at present.

In addition, the Ministry of Transport is also directing the development of a plan to reopen transport activities. This plan will give priority to those who have been vaccinated or successfully treated for the disease to join the transport chain with an eased and expanded route based on the disease control situation, helping workers and experts travel as smoothly as possible.