· Russia probably open for crew changes, 14-day quarantine no longer required, only negative test certificate required (both types). Technically, sign-in foreign seamen can enter Russia, but more details required.
· Poland says crew changes possible, including foreign crews, ask your Poland agent for more details and verification.
· USA – highly complementary reviews of foreign crew change, at least in East Coast ports.
· Nigeria – understood crew changes possible, direct charter flights from/to Eastern Europe possible.
Bad news:
· Hong Kong loophole seems to be closed – all arriving sign-ins are to be tested on arrival, but what’s worse, what’s sealing loophole, is a rather vague order to put them under 14-day medical observance.
With Hong Kong closed, there’s no port and country left in East and South East Asia, applying more or less sensible, realistic crew change practices. Looking at region, one gets an impression, that yes, the whole region is in urgent need of mass quarantine – all the presidents and the governments without exception, should be put under quarantine into maximum security psycho clinics.
· There are talks and rumors about Malaysia, crew changes probably possible, awaiting information from a ship, crew were promised change in coming days.
Seamen nationalities:
· Filipino, Indian and Indonesian seamen are the most toxic, most hard to deal with, from the point of view of crew change. The one and only reason, the cause of all troubles, and problems, is their governments. Their governments sealed off all the possible loopholes, so that the change has become almost impossible, if seamen of these nationalities are part of the crew, not all of the crew or at least, majority.
· Latest – 7 Filipino crew arrived at Hong Kong from Philippines, to change 7 fellow Filipino crew, but change failed. Why? Because all of sudden, Philippines government banned all flights from China, Hong Kong, Macau. It happened just 3 days ago, and I don’t know what’s in store for those sing-in 7, because hotel said they can’t stay in the hotel. They’ve been tested negative, they’re healthy, they can’t stay and they can’t return. Situation is utterly frustrating and outrageous. Guilty without guilt, people suddenly, out of blue sky, found themselves to be outlaws.
With this “new normal” insane crime against humanity, manning is likely to undergo some deep shifts and changes. Filipino, Indonesian and Indian seamen may soon, find themselves out of job, to be replaced with seamen from mainly, Eastern Europe.
· Mainland China seamen also can be considered toxic, but for a different reason. The way China behaves itself recently, who knows, what to expect from them, what they may be ordered to do, by their CCP. China throws away all political niceties and decorum, and is steaming full speed towards global dominance. Better keep clear of China and everything Chinese, whenever possible.
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