Skip to main content

Queensland: Australian-first COVID vaccinations for international seafarers

ニュース 記者発表資料

Queensland will become the first Australian jurisdiction to administer COVID vaccines to all international seafarers arriving in local ports, with a trial program commencing in the coming weeks aimed at reducing the risk of serious illness and community transmission.

Maritime Safety Queensland, working with QLD Health, has developed a vaccination program that will commence with high risk vessels, ships that visit Australian ports on a regular schedule, those that carry liquid fuels, and finally all other vessels arriving at QLD ports.

The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), along with employer organisations Maritime Industry Australia Ltd and Shipping Australia, have welcomed the initiative that will not only protect the health of seafarers, but strengthen Australia’s supply chains.

ITF Australia Coordinator Ian Bray said ten per cent of the world’s sea trade passes through Australian ports, with maritime supply chains responsible for delivering essential goods and taking Australia’s exports to the world.

ITF Australia Coordinator Ian Bray said seafarers in maritime supply chains were responsible for delivering essential goods to Australia and taking the country's exports to the world. (Credit: MUA)

“International seafarers are the backbone of the economy, but a growing number of COVID outbreaks on vessels arriving in Australian ports highlights the need for urgent action to protect the health of these workers, reduce the risk of community transmission, and strengthen supply chain resilience,” Mr Bray said.

“Many of the vessels that travel through Australian ports visit regularly — often on the same routes — making it easy to administer both doses of vaccine to seafarers over a period of months," said Bray.

“Even for crews that only visit an Australian port once, the health advice is that a single dose of vaccine significantly reduces the risk of them requiring hospitalisation.”

ITF President and Maritime Union of Australia National Secretary Paddy Crumlin said the Australian Government should immediately take the model to the National Cabinet so that it can be rolled out around the country. (Credit: ITF)

ITF President and Maritime Union of Australia National Secretary Paddy Crumlin said the Australian Government should immediately take the model to the National Cabinet so that it can be rolled out around the country.

“This Australian-first model developed by Maritime Safety Queensland and QLD Health has the potential to save countless lives and should be taken to National Cabinet as a matter of urgency so it can be implemented around the country,” Mr Crumlin said.

“Without ships, Australia’s economy would grind to a halt, which is why COVID testing of all international seafarers arriving in Australian ports, the provision of healthcare to sick workers, and a national plan to vaccinate the entire workforce is so important.

“This approach would also be consistent with Australia’s legal obligations as a signatory to the Maritime Labour Convention, which make it responsible for the health and welfare of the seafarers that arrive in our ports,” he said.

 

現場の声

ニュース

英国の鉄道の再国営化:労働組合の声

労働党政権による鉄道再国営化の決定は、民営化という世界的な潮流からの重要かつ歓迎すべき転換である。再国営化は「第 4 次鉄道パッケージ」等の EU 指令に組み込まれた EU の政策アジェンダとの決裂をも意味する。  この政策転換は、 ITF 加盟鉄道労組-全英鉄道海事交運労組( RMT )、機関車技師・機関助手協会( ASLEF )、交通運輸従業員組合( TSSA )-