ATPI Marine & Energy has partnered with the International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC) to support seafarers returning home or continuing ship travel amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

By working with IMEC members, industry bodies and regulators, ATPI hopes to ensure that seafarers can travel around the world when most flights are not operational.

Using its travel industry expertise and information regarding the most required port-connecting routes, ATPI supports marine companies in finding the most efficient options for permitting seafarer travel.

ATPI chief commercial officer Gary Pearce said: “Global commerce has to continue and goods need to move around the world. This means ship crews must be able to reach their vessels and return home after long periods offshore. With most airlines grounded, the maritime industry is cleverly working together to ensure that seafarers can move in order to ensure the safe travel of their people and that ships operate safely with an adequate crew.”

As part of the partnership, 250 members of IMEC have access to seats on specially chartered flights and scheduled flights as airlines scale up operations.

Pearce added: “We hope that by ensuring there are flights to the world’s busiest port cities seafarers from many different shipping companies can continue to carry out their essential work and, more importantly, return home afterwards. The industry is also working together to encourage airlines to prioritize returning to operation some of the most popular routes for the maritime sector.” 

For more information about this effort please visit ATPI’s dedicated COVID-19 page.