Trapped in the COVID-19 pandemic: Seafarers and the global crew change crisis

This paper builds on the situation of seafarers, who found themselves stuck in the global crew change crisis triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. This crisis, caused by countries going into lockdown and closing their borders, had affected more than 400,000 seafarers worldwide. Some were stranded overseas, some were trapped aboard ships and others were waiting in transition. A number of international organizations highlighted safety and human rights issues of what was recognized as a humanitarian crisis. They called out the international responsibility of allowing seafarers to cross borders and access health services, and for governments to facilitate safe journeys home for seafarers. The year 2021 was proclaimed as the “year of action for seafarers” to recognize them as essential workers. Building on media and other materials, this paper explores the global crisis and difficulties for many governments in dealing with this exceptional global pandemic with a particular focus on seafarers from Kiribati.