Petition · past parliament · Department for Transport

Facilitate crew changes for seafarers during the Covid 19 pandemic

Closed 761 signatures

What the petition asks

Crew changes for seafarers must be facilitated.

The UK depends every day on seafarers. They are now expected to work indefinitely as they cannot be relieved under the current restrictions.

This must be changed, for the safety of shipping and the well-being of seafarers and their families.
Leaving seafarers on board indefinitely is unsafe. Shipping is a dangerous business which requires crew to be alert, well rested and in a positive frame of mind. Indefinitely leaving crew on board is not sustainable or safe.

A system of in-transit quarantine and health monitoring could be implemented to allow crew changes at designated ports and airports. Most crew on board have been effectively locked down in mobile quarantine in any case. The ICS is already pressing for this.

Timeline

27 Jun 2020 Petition opened for signatures
27 Dec 2020 Closed to new signatures

Key facts

Signatures 761
Status Closed
Department Department for Transport
Opened 27 Jun 2020
Closed 27 Dec 2020

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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 15 Jul 2026.