Japan?Crew Change Policy Guidelines in Week 24?of 2022

It was reported on the 7th that the overall death toll in Japan has been at a low level even under the COVID-19, but the situation has changed significantly in the first quarter of this year. Japan's Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare recently released a demographic survey showing that the death toll in Japan increased rapidly from January to March this year, 38630 more than the same period last year, reaching 422037.?

From January to March this year, affected by the Omicron strain, Japan ushered in the sixth wave of the epidemic. At that time, at most 36 prefectures in Japan took "key measures to prevent spread" to deal with the epidemic. During this period, the number of deaths increased significantly, especially from February to March. Compared with the same period last year, the death toll in February this year increased by 19490 and in March this year increased by 15992. In these two months, the number of people who died of COVID-19 was 4841 and 4464 respectively. The report said that although there is a possibility that a certain number of people are infected with COVID-19, they have not been confirmed before and after death. However, it is difficult to explain why the death toll has increased by this point alone. It is believed that factors other than COVID-19 may lead to a sharp increase in the number of deaths.?

According to the epidemic map of the global intelligent ship service management platform E-PORTS, under the influence of the new round of Omicron epidemic, the policies of Japan?main ports have been changed?on 6th?June, 2022.?

1. Are there any restrictions on vessels whose previous port call was from COVID -19 high risk countries?

? All vessels arriving from foreign port are requested to complete health questionnaire form and submit the same to Japan 1st Port call Authorities before ship's arrival on top of usual radio pratique message

2.1 Crew change permitted?

? Yes, but subject to the following conditions:

- Due to highly infectious new coronavirus variant (OMICRON), the Japanese government announced border enforcement measures to prevent the spread new coronavirus variant. Crew members are treated differently as per the crew change regulation?

- If the vessel is at sea for more than 14 days after departure from previous port and before arrival at first port in Japan without any physical contact with shore people, crew change can be arranged without any issues except for the crew members who require quarantine isolation before joining on board.?

- If the vessel is at sea for less than 14 days after departure from previous port and before arrival at first port in Japan, there may be some challenges for owners to clear well before ship’s arrival so as to carry out crew change(off-signers) in Japan.?

- Both on and off-signers are not allowed to use public transportation between airport/hotel and the vessel(vice-versa) but private car/bus prepared by their agents. There being no Int’l flight arriving at Okinawa and Hokkaido directly at moment (both are island - no land transportation available), crew change at the ports in Okinawa and Hokkaido cannot be arranged.?

A. ON-SIGNERS

- Japanese government strongly requests owners and/or technical managers who are to send their crew members to Japan to take adequate measures for their crew members especially before leaving their mother countries to prevent the spread of infection during physical crew change in Japan.?

- Even if the vessel complies with quarantine regulations when carrying out crew change in Japan, terminals where the vessel is nominated may have their own restrictions on crew change. In this case, it might not be possible to arrange crew change even if the vessel is in full compliance with quarantine regulation??

- All On-signers are required to follow these 2 actions before Japan arrival.?

1. To take Covid-19 test the day of flight departure or the day before the flight departure, holding original Negative certificate on arrival in Japan.

2. To undergo 4 nights 5 days Quarantine isolation at the hotel or quarantine facility if any near the departing airport.

Count of days starts from the actual flight departure date. Crews will need to hold the hotel voucher with date of check-in and check-out as evidence on their arrival in Japan and hand it to the agents.

- On-signers are requested to take COVID-19 test the day of flight departure or the day before the flight departure time and must hold original Negative certificate on arrival in Japan?

*Countries and regions will be reviewed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (Health Bureau) on a daily basis.

- If the vessel is scheduled to call Chinese and/or Korean ports after Japan, Covid-19 tests are required when joining on board in Japan.

- If the vessel is to call Chinese port(s) within 14 days upon ship departure from Japan, on-signers are requested to take PCR and IgM Anti-Body tests within 48 hrs prior to their joining on board at the hospital being designated by China Embassy - If the vessel is to call Korean port(s) within 28 days upon ship departure from Japan, on-signers may be requested to take PCR test within 72 hrs prior to ship departure at the port they joined on board.

However, some terminals and terminal agents do not accept any crew change in their terminal unless on-signers suffice quarantine requirement for isolation.

In addition, it is quite usual that ship schedule in the port is updated from time to time as per various factors (progress on cargo ops, shore cargo inventory, terminal convenience and weather etc.)?

B. OFF-SIGNERS

- If the vessel could not do this 14days quarantine isolation at sea, the vessel is requested to take following steps to conduct crew change(off-signers)

1. The vessel will be asked to take normal quarantine inspection on arrival (instead of radio pratique)

2. Crew members will be asked to take PCR test upon arrival/berthing

3. Upon confirming negative result on PCR test, free pratique shall be granted

4. Access to the vessel is to open upon free pratique granted

5. Immigration formalities for off-signers - It normally takes 8 hrs or longer till free pratique being granted. During this period, no one has an access to the vessel, that is, cargo operations cannot be commenced. It is essential for owners and/or technical managers to get charterers consent if your charterers agree to idle the vessel after ships arrival at the first port in Japan and before commencing cargo operations.

3. Any other restrictions due to COVID - 19?

? From 1st March 2022, entry to Japan for all foreign visitors have started to gradually open, however can not guarantee that all visitors are able to receive VISA for entry.?

On E-PORTS platform, COVID-19 Global Port Restriction Map collects information of main ports in the world and releases authoritative and official announcements of various policy changes caused by the COVID-19. For more details about port restrictions and crew change information, please visit: https://www.e-ports.com/app/virusmap.html

Click on each country in the map to display the crew change policy for the country.

For more information on the port and crew change policy, please click 【Contact Local Agent】?for enquiries.