The Chinese Ministry of Transport, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and General Administration of Customs has recently jointly issued a notice on the remote prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic for the crew on ships on international voyages.
For vessels planning on making crew changes in the PRC, the notice sets forth the requirements for seafarers to conduct onboard COVID-19 testing prior to arrival.
All shipboard personnel are required to be tested before the ship leaving the last foreign port before its outbound voyage to the first port of arrival in China.
During the voyage, testing of all shipboard personnel has to be performed on the first, fourth, seventh and fourteenth days of the voyage as applicable depending upon the duration of the voyage.
Ideally, the tests should be executed using a nucleic acid test (NAT), a form of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, but the use of rapid test kits is acceptable. Arrangements should be made by vessel operators in advance to obtain the required number of test kits on board.
Testing of shipboard personnel has to take place under the supervision of the vessel’s master. Test results are required to be submitted to the relevant authorities directly from the vessel via the official mobile application, or via softcopy through the ship operator’s appointed port agent in China.
If any test results are found to be positive, a second test should be conducted, consequence upon which the two test results shall be submitted. Any seafarers found to be COVID-19 positive, or found to have any abnormal heath conditions during the voyage before arrival, must be reported to the Chinese authorities.