The outbreak of (COVID-19) continues to affect mariners and maritime commerce. Vessels arriving to or traveling between any U.S. port or place must follow reporting and infection control measures to maintain the safety of personnel onboard vessels as well as within the port.
Illness of a person onboard any vessel that may adversely affect the safety of a vessel or port facility per 33 CFR 160.216 must be reported immediately to the USCG Captain of the Port (COTP). This includes persons exhibiting symptoms consistent with COVID-19. This requirement is separate and additional to any other required USCG or Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting, and applies to vessels departing from or arriving to any port or place in the U.S.
In addition, per 42 CFR 71.21 vessels destined for U.S. ports must report to the CDC any sick or deceased crew/passengers during 15 days prior to arrival at the port. Guidance for this reporting to the CDC can be found at: Cargo vessels and Cruise ships.
Further, per 42 CFR 70.4 masters of any vessel or persons in charge of any conveyance engaged in interstate traffic, on which a case or suspected case of a communicable disease develops shall, as soon as practicable, notify the local health authority at the next port of call, station, or stop, and take measures to prevent the spread of the disease as the local health authority directs.
Review the attached MSIB on details for non-passenger commercial vessels with no sick crewmembers and those which have been in certain countries listed on the MSIB. It also contains details for onboard precautions for COVID-19 and CDC's updated guidance Interim Guidance for Ships on Managing Suspected Coronavirus Disease 2019. |