Covid-19 mitigation procedures - Effects and consequences for seafarers

Abstract

In 2020, Covid-19 overwhelmed the world, with the result that governments all over the world shut down borders, workplaces, schools and restaurants. The International Maritime Organisation reacted by urging governments to keep their borders op for seafarers, so that these would be able to go to and from work. In many places of the world, the pledge from the IMO was unheard and hundreds of thousands of seafarers were left stranded without any means to go home. This paper aims to study how seafarers, who live and work inside the European borders, have been affected by the ongoing pandemic.

The study has been conducted as a case study, using data collected through interviews with seafarers working on a Norwegian flagged vessel working in European waters. The discussion and conclusion have been made, comparing the interview data with data from literature search based on scientific data and official guidelines released by international organisations such as the WHO, the IMO and the ICS.