Outlining the Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Africa's Maritime Industry: The Case of Marine and Seafaring Professionals

Abstract

Despite the ‘Key Worker’ status accorded seafarers in moments of demonstrable selflessness -ensuring, adequate supply of food, medicines, consumables like personal protective equipment (PPEs), and energy - there is a lack of genuine interest in their concerns, leading to various calls from major stakeholders such as the United Nations and International Maritime Organization. These calls associate- with various covid-19-related policies and regulations having a direct bearing on the ongoing crew change crises, maroon and overstay of contracts, poor mental health, rise in covid-19 infections and other unrelated illnesses among ship crew. Thus, to what extent are non-traditional seafaring nations of Africa being impacted? The study examines these concerns by identifying and investigating implemented covid-19 policies and regulations and their impact on maritime operations and crew ‘wellbeing;’ the contingency measures and innovations aiding mitigate responses with minimal challenges to seafarers and marine professionals. The case study approach focuses on West Africa’s maritime corridor, examining operations in Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Nigeria and Angola to a host of varied ports and offshore installations operations. Direct field observations, as well as questionnaires and interviews of expert or ‘eye witness’ account, deployed via phone calls, online social media and emails are carried out. The study finds MLC 2006 was not been complied with. Embarkation quarantine measures and testing implemented for offshore Ghana and Angola could not prevent the outbreak of cases onboard FPSO units respectively, though the process identified positive cases during quarantine. The stigma associated with positive cases amongst the crew were prevalent in the first six months of pandemic declaration. Of the survey conducted amongst 71 vessel crew, 32.14% were certain of having recorded Covid-19 positive cases on their various Jobsites, 91.06% showed support for IMO-led interventions against covid-19, 30% complained of uncertainty spared by rumours as fueling poor mental health. However, only 19% willingly addressed issues of their proximity to covid-19. Vaccine inoculations upon commencing March 2021 remained low in the region amongst marine professionals. Mitigating measures implemented include increased internet and call access, and extensive boarding protocols. In conclusion, lessons learnt within these periods of history going forward should inform the need for a comprehensively developed global emergency response contingency regulatory plan that identifies various potential threats, establishes adequate measures and make adjustment for review and amendments –to be instated only in times of global emergencies.