Thursday, June 26, 2025
Home Most Visited - Newsletter InterManager excoriates “selfish” Singapore over crew changes

InterManager excoriates “selfish” Singapore over crew changes

InterManager secretary general Captain Kuba Szymanski has heavily criticised Singapore’s Maritime Port Authority (MPA), branding them as “selfish” for its stance on crew changes, with the authority refusing to allow new crew to sign on, but allowing existing crew to leave.

Szymanski also sought support from the International Maritime Organization (IMO) secretary-general Kitack Lim, in a letter to the IMO sent today. He said that InterManager had received “worrying correspondence” from the MPA which suggested it would give priority to crew change applications from Singapore registered ships, but also that it would accept other applications for “sign-off crew only, without signing-on new crew”.

Leter to IMO secretary general Kitack Lim from InterManager.

 

“This creates a myriad of issues to the safety of seafarers and would present a significant breach of the seafarers’ humanitarian rights,” wrote Szymanski.

Singapore was one of 13 signatories to a letter pledging support for crew changes at a virtual IMO meeting last month. At that time the Singapore delegation signed a declaration that it would “Engage, nationally, multilaterally and bilaterally, in discussions about implementation, to the maximum extent possible, as appropriate to the circumstances that may prevail nationally or locally, of the recommended framework of protocols for ensuring safe ship crew changes and travel during the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.”

Szymanski told Container News, Singapore is looking after its citizens, which InterManager wholeheartedly supports, “We share those concerns,” he said. However, Szymanski added, “Singapore must work with the protocols developed by ICS [the International Chamber of Shipping] and others, procedures submitted to the IMO that are the best industry practice.”

He went on to say, “Singapore is being selfish, they want our ships, but not our seafarers.”

Furthermore, it is not possible for shipowners to sign off crew in Singapore and not replace them with fresh seafarers, “ship operations would stop,” argued Szymanski. “It is apparent that all walks of life have suffered [from the pandemic], but seafarers are at the end of their wits,” he said.

Kitack Lim had not, as yet, responded to the letter from InterManager.

The MPA, contacted by Container News, said that it will respond in due course.

Movement of crew since the early stages of the pandemic. Source InterManager.

Nick Savvides
Managing Editor





Latest Posts

Maersk unveils “Trade & Tariff Studio” to simplify customs management

Maersk has launched Maersk Trade & Tariff Studio, an AI-driven customs-management platform. Lars Karlsson, Global Head of Trade & Customs Consulting at Maersk stated that...

Solstad renews partnership with Marlink

Solstad has renewed its long-standing partnership with Marlink to advance its digitalization strategy through to 2028. Under the new agreement, Marlink will deliver SealinkNextGen, a...

KEZAD and Witthal Gulf Industries sign deal to launch recycling plant

Khalifa Economic Zones Abu Dhabi Group has signed a 50-year land lease agreement with Witthal Gulf Industries for the establishment of the country’s first...

Emirates Shipping Line announces new service to Seattle

Emirates Shipping Line has announced its entry into the United States market with the launch of the Sun Chief Express service, a direct, fortnightly...

Port of Long Beach approves $833 million budget

The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has approved an $833 million budget for fiscal year 2026, nearly half of which will go toward...
error: Content is protected !!