The Ministry of Transport, the General  Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs have made a new announcement on epidemic prevention and control concerning seafarers working on international trading ships. Since the announcement is not released in English, a CPI-translated version of the announcement is attached below for Members to be informed in time.

Announcement by the Ministry of Transport, the General Administration of Customs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of People’s Republic of China on Epidemic Prevention and Control for Seafarers Working on International Trading Ships

Pursuant to the People’s Republic of China’s Frontier Health and Quarantine Law, the Law on Response to Emergencies and the Maritime Traffic Safety Law, this announcement is promulgated to effectively protect the wellbeing of seafarers on ships engaged in international trading and prevent cross-border spread of COVID-19 through ship’s crew. 

1. The content of this announcement is applicable to all international trading ships that intend to enter into Chinese ports. 

2. This Announcement applies to all ships when seafarers’ changes take place at last port of call/location and within 14 days prior to ship’s arrival at Chinese port. All the signing on seafarers should take a nucleic acid test for COVID-19 within 3 days before embarkation and will be allowed to embark the ship only with a negative test result. The test should be performed in an institution designated or recognized by local Chinese Embassies and/or Consulates. 

3. All applicable ships, on arrival at first Chinese port and at the time when going through the port entry formalities, shall submit, either through the local agent or their owners, a copy (copies) of certificate(s) showing negative test result of nucleic acid test for COVID-19 for all crew members signed on at last port of call and within 14 days before arrival at Chinese port. 

4. Any violation of this announcement or any applicable laws and regulations of the People’s Republic of China by any applicable ships will result in blockage and hinderance of the subjective ships’ normal operation, entering or leaving Chinese ports, and in cases of gross violations, the relevant ships may be subject to administrative or legal liabilities. The crew members signed on ships at last port of call/location or within 14 days prior to arrival at China will be subject to criminal charges, if they failed to submit a negative nucleic acid test result for COVID-19 or have submitted a fake one, leading to the spread or having a risk of spread of COVID-19 in China, according to relevant Chinese laws. 

The announcement shall enter into force as of the date of promulgation.

Ministry of Transport

General Administration of Customs

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

24 September 2020