Ebola Guidance Issued by Shipping Organizations

Last Monday, three global shipping organizations issued guidance on the risks faced by vessel crews calling in countries where the Ebola virus has been confirmed. Those organizations are as follows:

• International Chamber of Shipping (ICS)
• International Maritime Employers’ Council (IMEC)
• International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF)

Guidelines for vessels traveling to effected ports

The organizations advised that on all vessels traveling to areas affected by the virus, the following precautions should be taken:

• Master should make the crew aware of the risks, how to reduce those risks, and how the virus could be spread.
• Strict enforcement of the ISPS requirements on ensuring that unauthorized personnel do not board the vessel.
• Master should thoroughly and carefully consider whether or not to grant shore leave while at an impacted port
• The operator/ship owner must avoid making changes in crew in any affected ports.
• Following departure, all crew should be aware of the symptoms present with the Ebola virus, and report any possible occurring symptoms to the person in charge immediately.

This advice can be supplemented with the information provided by the World Health Organization, available by clicking this link.

Basic facts about the virus

• Ebola virus disease (EVD) is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.
• Outbreaks have a case fatality rate as high as 90%.
• Outbreaks occur mostly in remote villages in West and Central Africa, close to tropical rainforests.
• EVD can be transmitted to humans from animals, and it spreads through human-to-human transmission easily.
• Fruit bats are likely the natural host of the virus.
• Once infected, patients who become ill require intensive care; however, no specific vaccine or treatment is currently available.

A spokesperson for the organizations stated that “[e]veryone is deeply concerned for those suffering from the Ebola epidemic and supportive of a coordinated world response to help them.

We particularly applaud all those medical staff who are risking their lives to help.In the meantime we want to make sure that those in the world shipping industry play our part in ensuring the safety of crews visiting the affected countries, and minimizing the risk of the virus spreading further.”