Indian government prioritises Covid-19 vaccination of seafarers

June 9, 2021: Union minister of state for ports, shipping and waterways (I/C) Mansukh Mandaviya has reviewed the status of vaccination to the seafarers.

Mandaviya suggested that the seafaring industry should not get hampered due to non-vaccination and emphasized that all efforts should be made to get the seafarers vaccinated before joining their scheduled duties on board.

There have been demands from many quarters to accord 'priority' to seafarers in the vaccination drive in view of the nature of their work. The ministry of ports, shipping and waterways (PS&W) also coordinated actively with the ministry of health & family welfare to give priority to seafarers in Covid-19 vaccination.

Due to the recent intervention by the ministry, major ports have started vaccination centres. Six major ports which includes Mumbai, Cochin, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Kolkata and Tuticorin have started vaccinating seafarers at their port hospital. Moreover, a private hospital in Kerala has also been roped in for vaccinating seafarers.

Seafaring unions/associations like MASSA, FOSMA and NUSI have also successfully organized special camps for vaccination.

Apart from these measures, ministry of PS&W has been making efforts to take state governments on board for including seafarers in their state 'priority' list, and Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Goa has already provided such status.