China Ports Crew Change Updates - For Filipino Seafarers [Crew Replacement Guide]

UPDATES AS OF 08 FEBRUARY 2021

Updated local policy for crew change in China

As a result of a spike of new COVID19 cases this January, China is taking stricter epidemic prevention and control measures amid higher risks of the epidemic before the Spring Festival Holidays which will commence on Feb 11, 2021. Following our earlier circular No. 2013 dated Nov 10, 2020 “Foreign Crew Change Procedures at Qingdao, Tianjin, Dalian and Shanghai”, we have checked the current crew change policy at the major ports and hereby update as below for your reference:

Dalian

Foreign crew change

Foreign crew members are not allowed to sign on or off the vessel.

Chinese crew change

Chinese crew members with a negative NAT report issued within three days are allowed to sign on.

No sign-off of Chinese crew members is allowed unless for an emergency.

Qingdao

Foreign crew change

Foreign crew members who meet the requirement can disembark, but it is difficult to arrange for them to sign on.

Chinese crew change

Chinese crew members with a negative NAT report issued within three days are allowed to sign on.

Shanghai

Foreign crew change

All foreign crew have to wait for the results of the NAT test before they can be disembarked, so for container ships, usually there is not enough time to arrange the disembarkation without delaying the ship’s schedule; for bulk ships, their longer stay at port will make it relatively easier.

Chinese crew change

Chinese crew members with a negative NAT report issued within three days are allowed to sign on.

Chinese crew members on container ships can be disembarked without having to wait for the results of the NAT test, while those of bulk carriers still have to wait for the results of the NAT before they can be disembarked.

Tianjin

Foreign crew change

A ship can only sail after the departure of the crewmember who has been disembarked, so the crewmember's international flight should take off before the ship’s scheduled departure, otherwise the ship’s schedule would be affected. In addition, the voyage of the ship from the last foreign port to Tianjin should not be less than 21 days. Otherwise, an application should be submitted to the authority for special consideration.

The sign-on foreign crew member should have a valid negative nucleic acid report and enter China directly at Tianjin with quarantine for 21 days upon arrival.

Chinese crew change

The crew change of Chinese crew members are allowed in Tianjin.

Ningbo

Foreign crew change

No foreign crew change would be permitted unless for special reason which would be assessed and determined by the local authorities on a case-by-case basis.

Chinese crew change

The Chinese crew change in Ningbo is normal now. A negative NAT test result should be in place before they disembark the vessel and after disembarkation, they should be quarantined in the hotel for 14 days.

Xiamen, Fuzhou and Haikou

Foreign crew change

No foreign crew change is permitted unless for special reason which would be assessed and determined by the local authorities on a case-by-case basis.

Chinese crew change

The Chinese crew change is suspended during/around the Chinese New Year Festival holiday.

Shenzhen and Guangzhou

Foreign crew change

The sign-off of foreign crew can be arranged on the condition that:

a. the outbound international air ticket is available;

b. the crewmember has been in China for more than 14 days;

c. negative results from multiple nucleic acid tests during the 14 days;

d. the crew will be sent to the airport directly on basis of closed-loop control without local stay after disembarkation;

e. the approval of the application from the local authorities including the MSA, immigration office, Customs, port authority and etc. have been obtained.

The sign-on of foreign crew is unfeasible and no successful case has been heard of recently.

Chinese crew change

The Chinese crew change is normal in both of the ports now.

As a whole, crew change policies are now becoming stricter in all Chinese ports. For foreign sign-on crew members, it depends on whether they can get an invitation letter from the Foreign Affairs Office and as far as we know, there are very few successful cases of foreign crew signing on ships in Chinese ports recently.

As the epidemic situation in China develops and changes constantly, the crew change policy at each port may be adjusted accordingly. Owners who plan to change crew in China is strongly suggested to contact with their local agent in advance to learn the update policy and discuss the crew change issue.

Source:

Oasis P&I Services Company Limited - OASIS CIRCULAR 2102

E-MAIL: oasis@oasispandi.com

______________________

UPDATES AS OF 3 FEBRUARY 2021

Below is the fresh information for the below mentioned ports where quarantine limitations are being applied:

 

1. Zhoushan -- request 14 + 7 + 7 days quarantine period / attendance allowed only when vessels in shipyard

2. Shanghai -- request 14 days quarantine period

3. Jiangyin -- request 14 + 14 days quarantine period / attendance allowed only when vessels in shipyard

4. Nantong -- request 14 days quarantine period / attendance allowed only when vessels in shipyard

5. Ningbo - Beilun -- request 14 + 7 + 7 days quarantine period / cannot attend vsl at Ningbo-Beilun port

6. Zhanjiangang -- request 14 + 7 + 7 days quarantine period

7. Taicang -- request 14 + 14 days quarantine period

8. Tianjin --14+7 days (14days at entrance place+7days at Tianjin )

9. Qingdao --14+7 days quarantine period (14days at entrance place+7days at Qingdao )

10. Rizhao -- 14+7 days quarantine period (14days at entrance place+7days at Rizhao )

11. Bayuquan -- 14+14 days quarantine period (14days at entrance place+14days at Bayuquan)

12. Caofedian -- 21+7 days quarantine period(21days at entrance place+7days at Caofeidian)

13. Dalian --14+7+7 days quarantine period (14days at entrance place+7days at Dalian+7days community health monitoring )

14. Lianyungang --14+14 days quarantine period (14days at entrance place+14days at Lianyungang).

15. Putian -- request 14 + 7 days quarantine period

16. Fangcheng -- request 14 + 7 days quarantine period

17. Xianmen -- request 14 + 7 days quarantine period

18. Zhenjiang -- request 14 + 7 days quarantine period

19. Guangzhou -- request 14 + 7 days quarantine period

20. Nansha -- request 14 + 7 days quarantine period

21. Hong Kong -- request 14 days quarantine period. According to latest regulation implemented in HKG as from 20.01.21, any person having stayed in Brazil, UK, Ireland or South Africa for more than 2hours within last 21 days, won't be allowed to join flight to HKG.

 

REMARKS

1. such policies are constantly changing, strongly suggest to re-check what is the prevailing current situation with you local agent.

2.Terminals located within same the port may also apply DIFFERENT restrictions.

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Source:

World Marine Corp.

2, Artemidos Str. 166 74, Glyfada,

Athens - Greece

Office: +30-210-8986334

Fax:    +30-210-8986338

Mob:    +30 6951098600

Email:  athens@worldmarine.gr

www.worldmarine.gr   

__________________

UPDATE AS OF 28 JANUARY 2021

Further to last update on 04.01.21 regarding to new policy implemented by local authorities in Zhejiang province as far as it concerns foreign Supt attendance in the ports of Zhoushan, Ningbo and Wenzhou, more Chinese ports have nowdays adopted such policy in an effort to constraint the COVID-19.

 

Here are below some of the ports where such limitations applying for your perusal:

1. Zhoushan -- request 14 + 7 + 7 days quarantine period / attendance allowed only when vessels in shipyard

2. Shanghai -- request 14 days quarantine period

3. Jiangyin -- request 14 + 14 days quarantine period / attendance allowed only when vessels in shipyard

4. Nantong -- request 14 days quarantine period / attendance allowed only when vessels in shipyard

5. Ningbo - Beilun -- request 14 + 7 + 7 days quarantine period / cannot attend vsl at Ningbo-Beilun port

6. Zhanjiangang -- request 14 + 7 + 7 days quarantine period

7. Taicang -- request 14 + 14 days quarantine period

8. Tianjin --14+7 days (14days at entrance place+7days at Tianjin )

9. Qingdao --14+7 days quarantine period (14days at entrance place+7days at Qingdao )

10. Rizhao -- 14+7 days quarantine period (14days at entrance place+7days at Rizhao )

11. Bayuquan -- 14+14 days quarantine period (14days at entrance place+14days at Bayuquan)

12. Caofedian -- 21+7 days quarantine period(21days at entrance place+7days at Caofeidian)

13. Dalian --14+7+7 days quarantine period (14days at entrance place+7days at Dalian+7days community health monitoring )

14. Lianyungang --14+14 days quarantine period (14days at entrance place+14days at Lianyungang).

15. Putian -- request 14 + 7 days quarantine period

16. Fangcheng -- request 14 + 7 days quarantine period

17. Xianmen -- request 14 + 7 days quarantine period

18. Zhenjiang -- request 14 + 7 days quarantine period

19. Guangzhou -- request 14 + 7 days quarantine period

20. Nansha -- request 14 + 7 days quarantine period

21. Hong Kong -- request 14 days quarantine period. According to latest regulation implemented in HKG as from 20.01.21, any person having stayed in Brazil, UK, Ireland or South Africa for more than 2hours within last 21 days, won't be allowed to join flight to HKG.

At this point, please note that such policies are constantly changing, so you will also need to check on the spot what is the prevailing situation.

On the other hand, terminals located within same port do not applying same restrictions. It is strongly suggest to check locally prior proceeding with any arrangements.

I shall try to keep you updated with any news so bookmarked this page.

Source:

World Marine Corp.

2, Artemidos Str. 166 74, Glyfada,

Athens - Greece

Office: +30-210-8986334

Fax:     +30-210-8986338

Mob: +30 6951098600

Email:  athens@worldmarine.gr

www.worldmarine.gr        

_________________

UPDATE AS OF JANUARY 8, 2021:

More ports have implemented the new policy for foreign Supts , recently got in force at Zhoushan.

Specifically, Qingdao and Shenzhen ports have been added into this list since yesterday - January 7, 2021.

QINGDAO -  14+2+5 days quarantine requirement.: after the usual 14 days quarantine hotel stay upon entering China, passengers traveling to QINGDAO have to stay at the isolation inspection point for 2 days and another 5 days stay at a quarantine hotel in Qingdao

SHENZHEN -  14+7 days quarantine requirement:  after the usual 14 days quarantine hotel stay upon entering China, passengers traveling to SHENZHEN have to remain isolated in a quarantine hotel at SHENZHEN for another 7 days.

More than 100 infected cases were found in HUANGHUA ,JINGTANG , CAOFEIDIAN , all located within Hebei province and above policy is likely to be followed by them too.

Information Source:

W O R L D   M A R I N E   C O R P.

Comprehensive Ship Agency & Representation Services

Suez Canal, Egyptian Ports, PR China and S.A.R Hong Kong

Date : 07/01/2021 - Time: 17:25:25 

_________________

UPDATE AS OF JANUARY 05, 2021:

FOREIGN SUPTS ATTENDANCE IN ZHOUSHAN

New policy has been implemented by local authorities in Zhejiang province, covering Zhoushan, Ningbo and Wenzhou ports, related to foreign Supt attendance who are arriving at China in order to attend vessels at Zhoushan for dd/repairs.

Specifically, due to a case of passenger COVID-19 result turned positive again after the usual 14 days hotel quarantine, Zhoushan government has decided today to put an additional quarantine period of 7 days + 7 days quarantine regulation . That means that after 14 days isolation at the quarantine hotel located in the city ones arrives/enters China, another 7 days quarantine at a Zhoushan hotel is needed (if person is headed to Zhoushan), and then again a period of 7 days health monitoring/reporting (on daily basis). During this last week , person(s) can attend vessel.

In other words, the quarantine period has been extended to 3 weeks now for those persons need to attend vessels at Zhoushan.

Such measures , though decided/ implemented in Beijing too, have not yet been put in force in other provinces and cities

Source: 

W O R L D   M A R I N E   C O R P.

Comprehensive Ship Agency & Representation Services

Suez Canal, Egyptian Ports, PR China and S.A.R Hong Kong

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Despite the fact that central Chinese government has issued instructions to 10 ports (Shanghai, Qingdao, Dalian, Xiamen, Tianjin, Ningbo, Fuzhou, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Haikou) to open their gates to foreign crew changes as from  9th October , very small steps forward have been made so far .

 

Seems that sufficient clarifications have not yet given to local authorities and any tries for crew changes made by local agents are in vane

 

For the time being there were a couple of cases in Shanghai, Qingdao (only off signers), one case in Guangzhou Cosco s/y (2 off signers) and one case in Ningbo s/y (2 on signers) 

 

Specifically for Ningbo, there were only two cases for crew signing on new building, however the formalities were very complicated .

 

This case refers to specific NINGBO S/Y and not to any cargo terminals located in this port where no foreign crew changes are still feasible.

 

In other ports like , Fuzhou, Xiamen, Shenzhen , Haikou, Dalian, Tianjin there were no successful cases.

 

 

Some key points from the regulation:

  

1) vessel should left last foreign port for more than 14 days, and there should be no crew change within the last 14 days.

 

2) the plan for crew change should be submitted to local port authorities for approval on case by case basis.

 

3) the off signer should pass the nucleic acid test (N.A.T) by Customs officer before disembarkation. Test may be asked to be made even up to 3 times which of course takes time

 

4) the off signer should be sent directly from vessel to airport to take the repatriation flight, no stay at local hotel is allowed.

 

5) Vessel cannot sail from port unless off signer has departed

 

6) The LOI for on signer should be issued by local government foreign affairs dept subject to their approval.

 

7) After on signer passes the quarantine at local airport, he could be transported to vessel point-to-point.

 

8) Direct flights abroad - no intermediate flights in other Chinese airports are allowed.

 

  

----------------------------------------

Source:

World Marine Corp.

2, Artemidos Str. 166 74, Glyfada,

Athens - Greece

Office: +30-210-8986334

Fax:     +30-210-8986338

Mob: +30 6951098600

Email:  athens@worldmarine.gr

www.worldmarine.gr        

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From: International Chamber of Shipping (China) Liaison Office

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