For shipping employers, changing of crew is a regular administrative process that shore-based colleagues have to make arrangements for. But developments from the COVID-19 crisis has made this familiar process a challenging one.

Ships set sail on their voyage moving from port to port, each belonging to different countries with differing policies and logistical processes for crew change. Coupled with the complex procedure of sending a reliever to replace the crew signing off while only limited flights are available, facilitating the signing off of crew has become an almost insurmountable task.

Companies have, however, extended crew contracts to allow them to continue working on board and earning a salary. Seafarers are met with mixed feelings towards this as they are keen on returning home but, on the other hand, are unsure of when they will be able to sign on a ship again if the current situation does not improve. As for crew that are ending their contractual period, meticulous arrangements have been made to disembark from countries like Norway, Germany, Japan, Korea, and Singapore that have available flights for their passage home.