Bulk crew change through Offshore Crew Transit Hub (OCTH)

12 Apr 2021 / Sri Lanka

The Government of Sri Lanka has once again allowed to carry out crew changes via land based Isolation Centers (ICs).

A minimum of 96 hours are required to process requests and make arrangements for crew changes.

DISEMBARKING CREW:

  • Disembarking crew from a vessel are required to directly proceed to the IC
  • PCR conducted at IC and await results
  • Once the negative PCR result is received off-signers will be transferred directly to the airport for repatriation as per charter flight schedule
  • If any seafarer becomes positive for COVID-19 PCR test, provision for treatment should be done in the designated Intermediate Care Facility approved by the Ministry of Health

EMBARKING CREW:

  • PCR test should be done for every on-signer within 72 hours prior to boarding the flight and should be made available to respective Port Health Officer (PHO) prior to their landing in Sri Lanka
  • The on signers who arrive to the country by charter flight at MRIA will be directly sent to the IC from the airport
  • PCR conducted at IC and await results
  • Once the negative PCR result is received on-signers will be transferred directly to the designated port for embarking as per vessel arrival

All seafarers must wear adequate PPE during transfers.

Crew change will be done under the supervision of Sri Lanka Navy and they should escort the crew transport vehicle.

Crew changes can take place in Colombo/ Galle ports at berth/ anchorage or OPL. Request for Trincomalee/ Hambantota/ Norochcholai Seaport crew changes will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

Scheduled charter flights available for seafarers between airports of Male and MRIA. Exclusive charter flights can be arranged as required. Foreign crew arrival/ departure movements is currently strictly limited to MRIA.

For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Sri Lanka, contact GAC Sri Lanka at [email protected]

If quoting any content from Hot Port News, please cite GAC Hot Port News as the source.

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