COVID-19

COVID-19 SHIP MANAGEMENT UPDATE

Even since the World Health Organization declared that the outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), at Capital-Executive Ship Management we continuously make operational adjustments necessary to protect all our people onboard and ashore, our customers and our partners while implementing best practice policies to continue operating our vessels safely and efficiently.

Nearly all countries and ports in the world are affected by the Covid-19 global pandemic crisis, however the measures being implemented by each to deal with the situation are varying (in degree and extent of additional controls) and some of the measures are being implemented on short notice. Some of the countries have implemented quarantine lockdown of cities, which is seriously affecting the shipping business and it’s allied/ supporting services, as in some cases the vessels are being placed under compulsory quarantine based on last port of call and local regulation, even though there are no sick crew members on board. This situation and such additional measures are beyond the ship, manager and Owners control and may result in some delay to vessel during port operations.

We are closely monitoring and guiding the ships, implementing best-practice measures onboard to prevent a Covid-19 outbreak. Ship captains are doing their best to convince the authorities, by demonstrating the effective implementation of preventive measures on board and working with the agents, terminals and port authorities to speed up the port operations as efficiently as local conditions allow them.

Vessel and Ship Staff:

We implemented the following additional measures on board ships:

1. We are proceeding with crew changes whenever it is possible to maintain the highest standards for safe disembarkation and travel arrangements.
2. We are continuing our supply policy, advising crews onboard to order dry provision items for up to 3 months. We are continuing to liaise with our approved vendors to arrange for the supply accordingly and we have been able to procure the required provisions for our vessels till now.
3. We are continuing to arrange supplies, including extra stores, whenever vessels are calling major supply ports. We have advised our vessels to increase the quantities of supplies being ordered, as various disruptions to world trade due to Covid-19 are expected to continue for the next few months.
4. We are continuing to maintain a strict boarding protocol for visitors, either for short term stays or eventually required to sail with our vessels.
5. We closely monitor the health of the seafarers during embarkation and upon disembarkation, in order to trace and contact a person in the event of an outbreak or the potential for disease transmission on board the ship.

Office Based Personnel:

Monitoring health communications about Covid-19 regulations, guidance and recommendations. In order to maintain a healthy working environment, we are implementing the following measures in our offices:

1. Limiting the number of visitors to office and automatically monitoring temperature of all visitors.
2. Business travel of all office staff has now been restored, subject to compliance with local regulation and airline companies’ requirements. Upon return a compulsory 5 days of quarantine is implemented accompanied by a negative rapid test.
3. Social distancing and use of antiseptics is encouraged within office premises, while wearing a mask is mandatory, as per Ministry of Health instructions
4. All office personnel have now returned to HQ Office premises. Plexiglass dividers were placed around individual work stations in open plan offices, as per National Health Authorities recommendations.
5.  We are continuing to implement twice a week, rapid tests on all of our employees.
6.  Internal communication is being carried out via telephone, in order to avoid any unnecessary contact.
7.  Zoom meetings have replaced meetings with physical presence.

 By the end of 2021, all staff was fully vaccinated with 3 doses.