New directions for crew transfers

20 Oct 2020 / Western Australia, Australia

Western Australian Police Force has advised new directions now in force related to the maritime industry and crew transfers.

Quarantine (Closing the Border) Directions Approval for Maritime Crew (No 4) issued under Section 27(r) came into effect at midnight last night (19 October) and affects ALL PLANNED CREW TRANSFERS.

All previous crew transfers that have been approved and are planned to occur after last night are now rejected and will be re-considered in line with the new directions.

A maritime crew member can only disembark from an affected vessel:

  1. at a Perth Port
  2. at a port other than a Perth Port if, as soon as possible (within 8 hours) after they disembark the vessel they board a charter flight to Perth airport
  3. at any port to undertake port activities
  4. at any port to transfer to another vessel in the port

When the crew member disembarks an affected vessel or charter flight in Perth they must:

  • if the flight out of Australia leaves within 8 hours of disembarking the affected vessel in Perth or the arrival of the charter flight, travel directly to Perth airport for their flight out of Australia;
    or
  • if the flight out of Australia does not leave within 8 hours of disembarking the affected vessel in Perth or the arrival of the charter flight, travel directly to a relevant place, which may include a quarantine centre or an approved crew hotel, and remain there while they wait for their flight out of Australia.

A crew member who is ordinarily resident in Australia may, in addition to the above, disembark a vessel in a Perth Port and go directly to a quarantine centre for 14 days. Or, if they disembark in a port other than a Perth Port, as soon as possible after they disembark the vessel, board a charter flight to an airport in the Perth metropolitan region and then go directly to a quarantine centre where they will undergo 14 days' quarantine.

There are no real changes affecting persons flying into Western Australia to become crew members. Upon arrival in Perth, they will go to either a Crew Hotel (Interstate Travellers) or a Quarantine Centre (International).

A crew member disembarking at a port that is not a Perth Port, and leaving Perth on a flight within 8 hrs (arriving by vessel) can take a private chartered vehicle to a nearby regional airport and must take a private chartered flight to Perth to meet a flight leaving Australia.

A crew Mmember disembarking at a port that is not a Perth Port, and leaving Perth on a flight more than 8 hours later (arriving by vessel):
- can take a private chartered vehicle to a regional airport
- must take a private chartered flight to Perth
- will be transported directly to a Quarantine Centre
- can leave the Quarantine Centre to meet a flight leaving Australia

Any crew member who disembarks in a port other than Perth will not be allowed to board a commercial flight.

To disembark, a non-Australian resident must have a ticket or other confirmed booking for a flight to a destination outside of Australia.

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

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