Fleet Management's remarkable crew change success

The way many national governments have neglected seafarers' distress during the COVID-19 pandemic, by obstructing crew changes for months on end, will not be forgotten. But most responsible ship management companies have fought hard to get crew changes done by whatever means they can.

 

As of yesterday (4 June) Hong Kong’s Fleet Management has been extraordinarily successful in achieving more vital crew changes than any other ship manager.

 

To date, FLEET has arranged crew changes for over 432 seafarers across 34 vessels and 12 ports in India, the highest so far arranged by any ship manager after the nationwide lockdown. This takes FLEET’s tally to 1127 crew changes worldwide, which is among the highest in the world, including 609 in China and 84 in the Philippines.

 

As we navigate the global crisis, we never lose sight of the wellbeing of our seafarers,” said Kishore Rajvanshy, managing director, Fleet Management Limited. “While travel restrictions, border control and quarantine measures are posing manifold logistical challenges on crew rotation, our crewing department is working relentlessly to manage crew change as smoothly as possible.”

 

Captain M S Nagarajan, executive director and Head of Crewing, Fleet Management Limited, said, “Managing the end-to-end crew change in the wake of the pandemic is by no means an easy feat. However, our people are putting their best efforts to work together with the shipping ministries, port authorities, local agents and seafarers for seamless and safe changeovers. Medicals, coronavirus tests, lodging and land transits are being arranged for seafarers when they are returning home or boarding a ship.”

 

Captain Prashant Rangnekar, chief operating officer, Elegant Marine Services (FLEET’s recruitment wing in India), said, “A third of our seafarers are currently working at sea beyond their contractual lengths, but cannot return home due to the travel restriction. This has a direct bearing on their mental wellbeing. To protect their mental wellness, we have partnered with Sailor’s Society to set up a Crisis Response Network (CRN). Seafarers can access the CRN by calling 24/7 helpline on +1-202-931-5500 or through online chat via www.wellnessatsea.org/fleet- management and get confidential advice, emotional support, psychotherapy and counselling.”

 

To enable crew changes at foreign ports, FLEET will continue to explore possibilities of arranging charter flights to take seafarers to ships around the world or bring them back home after sign-off.

 

Source:hongkongmaritimehub

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