Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the maritime sector. Shipowners decided to lay-up their ships, especially cruise ones, or carry out operational tasks in accordance with pandemic restrictions. Safe working and rest conditions for crews and passengers had to be ensured in order to prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus onboard. One of main problems, due to the travel restrictions, was extended contracts of seafarers. As a result, physical overload and mental strains were observed. International support was necessary to support crews in different aspects of their work and life, to organize home returns, or even medical assistance.
TopCrises As A Part Of Human Being
Crises, also pandemics such as Covid-19, have accompanied mankind since the dawn of time. They can be of a different nature and have various consequences. For the purposes of this chapter, only the concept of crisis will be presented in order to better understand the current problem. The literature on the subject is rich, however, in-depth studies go beyond the scope of the subject taken into consideration.
Reflecting on the nature and causes of crises, mention should be made of the crisis types such as economic (financial) one, natural connected (with natural resources and water phenomena), technological crisis, health, organizational, jobs and other types. The crisis may be internal or external which people, organizations and even nations are affected. The Covid-19 pandemic crisis has no boundaries, it is prolonged and still not fully understood. Some, especially less affluent societies, experience its negative effects more acutely, just as selected professional groups may be more susceptible to its impact. Seafarers are no exception, and because of the nature of the work performed, inability to postpone it, interrupt or change to remote one, they are a professional group particularly exposed to the effects of the Covid-19 crisis. Humanity has not yet invented a cure for this disease, and the only weapons are mass vaccination and compliance with sanitary rules. Unfortunately, seafarers are still not covered by mass vaccinations, and isolation in the workplace is not possible in most cases.
Covid-19 is undoubtedly the greatest global crisis of modern society. However, as in any crisis, the well-known cycle steps as dentification, preparation, prevention, response and recovery are useful for carrying out activities. (Figure 1).
Figure 1. Crisis management elements
Key Terms in this Chapter
Vaccination: Mass-scale vaccination of the population in relation to the COVID-19 pandemic, carried out globally.
Well-Being: State of being happy, healthy, and safe.
Pandemic: Outbreak of disease (e.g., COVID-19) that spreads very quickly and affects people globally at the same time.
Crew: A group of people who work and live on the ship.
Key-Worker: Essential worker, critical worker, whose work is very important for the society.
COVID-19: Coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 disease pandemic.
Fleet Reactivation: Return to service of a ship that remained in a port or in a designated place for a short or long time, by carrying out a series of operations in accordance with the requirements of regulations and recommendations of equipment manufacturers.
Ship: Transport mean for transporting people and goods on the sea.
Seafarer: A person authorized to stay for a specified period of time on a ship in order to perform work in a designated position under a contract.
Happiness: Emotional state of being happy.
Fair Treatment: Respecting human dignity and accepting a person regardless of race, religion, culture, gender, or age.
Mental and Physical Crew’s Condition: A set of features determining the condition of crew members under the influence of specific factors causing physical overloads and mental strains.
Crisis: Situation when people are at risk, affected by very serious problems, when safety is hard to reach.