Offshore staff
LONDON – The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) continues to lobby governments and maritime authorities globally on facilitating the movement of offshore energy sector personnel during the COVID-19 restrictions.
IMCA is part of an industry group comprising IADC, IAGC, IMCA, IOGP and ISOA which gained support from the International Maritime Organisation early this month.
The group has written to more than 50 governments and maritime authorities requesting recognition of offshore energy sector personnel as key workers alongside seafarers and marine personnel.
The main aim is to achieve sufficient support of an IMO recommendation to facilitate the efficient movement of personnel for regular crew changes and during mobilization and demobilization activities. This is vital to ensure the safety of workers offshore and the security of supply of all forms of hydrocarbon and renewable energy sources in the mid to long term, the IMCA stressed, as demand increases due to easing of lockdown restrictions.
In addition, the group has requested governments to implement recommendations in the United Nations IMO Circular Letter No.4204/Add.13.
These detail actions needed for ‘key workers’ to move to and from their places of work on all vessels and installations engaged in offshore energy activities.
05/29/2020
