Georgia Joins the Major Global Maritime Nations
Op-Ed
The COVID-19 pandemic made unprecedented impacts on our lives, our economies and our societies.
The collective efforts globally to combat the pandemic have demonstrated the critical need to ensure the continuous functioning of global supply chains to safeguard our economies, and the importance of facilitating the safe and efficient operations of the maritime transportation system, which moves over 80% of all global trade.
In these difficult times, the ability for shipping services and seafarers to deliver vital goods, including medical supplies and food, is critical. The International Maritime Organization (IMO), together with other UN agencies, among them ICAO, ILO, UNCTAD, and WTO, has been developing practical guidance to facilitate international trade, coordinate responses and facilitate crew changes.
Unfortunately, today, over 200,000 seafarers are still waiting to be repatriated after many months at sea, having stayed beyond their original contracts. Both their physical and mental health are being put to the test.
In this challenging time, Georgia is a successful example to follow. As a vital gateway for the region, Georgian ports guarantee safe and effective operations to ensure frictionless maritime trade based on relevant recommendations of the Georgian Government, IMO, WHO and ILO.
Georgia is one of the first countries in the region to have designated seafarers as “key workers” and allowed crew change and rotation on its territory for both local and international seafarers. Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, as a result of the tireless efforts of the Georgian Maritime Transport Agency (MTA) in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 1400 seafarers returned home from different parts of the globe. During the same period, around 1000 Georgian seafarers have been assisted by the MTA to join international shipping operations in various ports worldwide.
Taking into account Georgia’s favorable geographical location and the country’s successful response to the spread of the COVID-19 global pandemic, Georgia is becoming known as a Safe Hub for seafarers, where representatives of the maritime industry and ship-owners are offered the possibility for safe transit of seafarers to reach their final destination.
Mr. Kitack Lim, the Secretary-General of the IMO, highlighted this in his recent address: ‘’I wish to commend Georgia’s decision to allow crew changes in its ports both for Georgian nationals and seafarers of other nationalities, and for designating seafarers as ‘key workers,’ acting effortlessly towards the seafarers’ wellbeing.”
Considering all the above accomplishments, I was honored to represent Georgia at the First International Maritime Virtual Summit on July 9, hosted by the UK and addressing the impact of COVID-19 on crew changes globally. This event was a good opportunity for Georgia to join the Declaration of the Summit together with 13 major maritime nations across the world (UK, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Indonesia, Netherlands, Norway, Philippines, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, UAE, the USA), to express its appreciation to seafarers, and to call for more coordinated efforts to urgently resolve issues that have arisen due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
By Amb. Tamar Beruchashvili, Permanent Representative of Georgia to the International Maritime Organization