A Joint Statement on medical certificates of seafarers, ship sanitation certificates andmedical care of seafarers in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic
22 April 2020
On 30 January 2020 the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO) declared thecurrent COVID-19 outbreak as a public health emergency of international concern under theInternational Health Regulations (2005) and issued Temporary Recommendations.
On 11 March 2020, the Director-General of the WHO characterized the situation of the COVID-19
outbreak as a pandemic.
The WHO, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the International Labour Organization(ILO), in cooperation with international seafarers’ and shipowners’ organizations, are working
together to ensure the ability of shipping and seafarers to continue to deliver vital goods, including
medical supplies and food. Our three Organizations seek to ensure that seafarers are protectedfrom the COVID-19 virus, are medically fit and have access to medical care, and that their ships
meet international sanitary requirements, bearing in mind the challenges presented by thissituation.
More than two thirds of the countries globally are implementing restrictions on international traffic,
including flight suspensions and port closures. This has a significant impact on global trade, 90% of
which is transported via ships. WHO has advised countries that restrictions on international traffic
should be based on evidence and be proportionate with the level of risk for each country. It is
working closely with global experts, governments and partners to rapidly expand scientificknowledge about this new virus, to track the spread and virulence of the virus, and to provide
advice to countries and the global community on measures to protect health and contain the spreadof this outbreak without unnecessary interference with international traffic.
In this context, we strongly encourage Governments to facilitate ships’ movements, including
docking, crew changes, ship inspection and issuance of ship sanitation certificates during theCOVID-19 pandemic. We further call upon Governments to ensure that information regarding
suspension of port services and other measures introduced in response to COVID-19 is quickly andeffectively communicated to international shipping and all relevant stakeholders.
IMO has issued a series of Circular Letters addressing global issues relevant to seafarers andshipping in the context of COVID-19:


Circular Letter No.4204 of 31 January 2020, providing information and guidance on theprecautions to be taken to minimize risks to seafarers, passengers and others on board
ships from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19);
Circular Letter No.4204/Add.1 of 19 February 2020, COVID-19 – Implementation andenforcement of relevant IMO instruments;
Circular Letter No.4204/Add.2 of 21 February 2020, Joint Statement IMO-WHO on theResponse to the COVID-19 Outbreak;Circular Letter No.4204/Add.3 of 2 March 2020, Operational considerations for managing
COVID-19 cases/outbreak on board ships prepared by WHO;
Circular Letter No.4204/Add.4 of 5 March 2020, ICS Coronavirus (COVID-19) Guidance forship operators for the protection of the health of seafarers;Page 2
Circular Letter No.4204/Add.5/Rev.1 of 2 April 2020, Coronavirus (COVID-19) – Guidance
relating to the certification of seafarers and fishing vessel personnel;
Circular Letter No.4204/Add.6 of 30 March 2020, Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Preliminary listof recommendations for Governments and relevant national authorities on the facilitation ofmaritime trade during the COVID-19 pandemic; andCircular Letter No.4204/Add.7 of 3 April 2020, Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Guidance
concerning unforeseen delays in the delivery of ships.

ILO is addressing all aspects of the impact of COVID-19 on the world of work, through the protectionof people, jobs, incomes and enterprises, and relying on social dialogue for solutions.
Medical care of seafarers
The Maritime Labour Convention, 2006, as amended (MLC, 2006) provides that every seafarer has
the right to a safe and secure workplace that complies with safety standards and to health protection,
medical care, welfare measures and other forms of social protection. All seafarers must be coveredby adequate measures for the protection of their health and must have access to prompt andadequate medical care whilst working on board. Port States must ensure that seafarers on board
ships in their territory who are in need of immediate medical care are given access to medical facilities
on shore.
Following the outbreak, questions have arisen concerning the application of the provisions of theMLC, 2006, in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. These have included questions related to medicalcare of seafarers. ILO, following consultations with Governments, shipowners and seafarers
represented by the Officers of the Special Tripartite Committee of the MLC, 2006, is providing
information to assist Governments and other relevant actors to take consistent actions under these
exceptional circumstances.
Other unforeseen health related issues have also arisen. These include the need to address thesituation of seafarers who, due to their unforeseen longer periods on board, are facing expiration of
essential medical prescriptions, and the consideration of the testing of seafarers immediately prior totheir joining their ships, when testing for COVID-19 becomes more widely available,
Medical certificates of seafarers
Medical certificates of seafarers are required in regulation I/9 of the International Convention on
Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers (STCW Convention), 1978,and in regulation 1.2 of the MLC, 2006. According to both international treaties, medical certificatesare valid for a maximum of two years. If a medical certificate expires during the course of a voyage,
then it shall continue to be valid until the next port of call where a medical practitioner recognized
by a Party is available, provided that the additional time needed does not exceed three months.
While in the current situation renewals of medical certificates may not be possible, exemption fromnational restriction of movements physicians responsible for medical examination of seafarers
should be considered. Competent authorities are requested to regularly review the evolution ofexisting restrictions and to renew the certificates as soon as the situation improves. Port State
control authorities are further encouraged to take a pragmatic and practical approach in relation tothe acceptance of these certificates in the exercise of control procedures in accordance with theMLC, 2006 and article X (Control) and regulation I/4 (Control procedures) of the 1978 STCWConvention.
Ship Sanitation Certificates
The Ship Sanitation Control Exemption Certificate/Ship Sanitation Control Certificate
SSCEC/SSCC are regulated in articles 20 and 39, and Annex 3, of the International HealthRegulations (IHR) (2005). These certificates are valid for a maximum period of six months. ThisPage
period may be extended
by one monthaccomplishedat the port.
Extraordinary

temporary

if the inspection

or control

measuresrequiredcannot3

bemeasures

Governments
are invited to request the submissionof the Maritime Declarationof Health by all
arriving ships. In the absence or informationof valid suspicion
or confirmed
active case(s) ofCOVID-19
on board reported through the Maritime Declarationof Health, or by the Master, or theiragents in accordancewith Article 28(4) of the IHR (2005),
to accept an exceptional
extensionof the above-mentioned
seafarers
and relevant Administrations
accordingly.
Theyissuing Administrations
are encouraged
certificates,
and to notify shipowners,
may:

Provide for the extensionof an existing Ship Sanitation
Certificate
by one month under
Article 39(1 ) of the IHR (2005) on one or more occasions
as necessary,
provided that noauthorized
port along the ship's route is able to conduct ship inspection
and issuanceofsanitation
certificates;and provided that such exceptional
extension
does not extend
beyond the terminationof the current public health emergency
of international
concernthe WHO Director-General.
Exempt from national restrictionsof movement
responsible
for ship inspections
and issuanceby

the inspectors
and key personnelof Ship Sanitation
Certificates.

Ensure that they can perform ship inspections
and implement
good conditions
and appropriate
protective
measuresagainsthealth control measures
inCOVID-19.
These personnel

should receive training and sufficient
resources(personalprotective
equipment,cleaningand disinfectionproducts)
as per WHO interim guidancefor Rational use of personal
protective
equipment
for coronavirus
disease 2019 (C0V1D-'19)'
and Operational
considerations
for managing
COVID-19
cases/outbreakon board ships?.
We invite Governments
and other stakeholders
to bring
attentionof the competentauthorities
and all concerned.

the contentsof this jointstatementu
TedrosAdhanom

KitackDirector-General
World Health Organization

Lim

Secretary-GeneralInternational
Maritime

Organization

Director-GenInternational

LabourOrganization

https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/1
0665/331 498/WHO-201
9-nCoV-IPCPPEuse-2020.2-eng.pdf
https://www.who.int/publications-detail/operational-considerations-for-managing-covid-19-cases-outbreak-onboard-ships

to the