Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps the Government has taken to encourage (a) Commonwealth and (b) other nations to provide hub services for the embarkation and disembarkation of UK and international seafarers.

The UK has not placed restrictions on the transit and transfer of seafarers. I have previously written to the International Maritime Organization asking for an international solution to this issue, confirming the UK’s position on crew changes, and also urged other countries to allow crew changes to take place. The UK has also exempted seafarers from the quarantine requirements.

The Department and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have always looked to support other maritime nations and to share best practice whatever the topic and we work closely with both domestic and international social partners and the international bodies and other flag states.

The UK will host the first international summit on the impact of Covid-19 on crew changes on Thursday July 9th and will include an audience from the UN, overseas Ministers and international maritime bodies.