Fleet Management scores success with crew changes in India and China

Fleet has managed to arrange the crew changes of 1,127 seafarers worldwide, the majority in China and India.

The Hong Kong-headquartered ship manager claims the highest number of crew changes in India under its nationwide lockdown with 432 seafarers across 34 vessels and 12 ports. Fleet has also seen 609 seafarers undergo crew changes in China, and 84 in the Philippines.

Captain M S Nagarajan, executive director and head of crewing for Fleet explained, “Managing the end-to-end crew change in the wake of the pandemic is by no means an easy feat. However, our people are putting their best efforts to work together with the shipping ministries, port authorities, local agents and seafarers for seamless and safe changeovers. Medicals, coronavirus tests, lodging and land transits are being arranged for seafarers when they are returning home or boarding a ship.”

Fleet managing director Kishore Rajvanshy said the company’s crewing department was working relentlessly to manage crew changes as smoothly as possible. “As we navigate the global crisis, we never lose sight of the wellbeing of our seafarers.”

With the large-scale shut down of global passenger aviation Fleet is exploring charter flights for crew changes.