Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has proposed the International Maritime Organisation(IMO) consider the issuance of regulations on prioritising COVID-19vaccinations for sailors regardless their nationalities, thus minimising the riskof pandemic spreading among the group.

The proposal was put forth in a letter from Nguyen Xuan Sang, Director of the Vietnam Maritime Administration and Deputy Secretary-General of theIMO Vietnam, to IMO Secretary-General Kitack Lim regardinginitiatives on creating favourable conditions and ensuring the utmost safety forsailors amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the letter, Sang expressed his support for the message of theIMO Secretary-General to sailors, which stated that sailors and maritime staffare key forces in providing necessary services.

Sang held that amid complicated developments of thepandemic, it is crucial for governments of IMO member countries to issuepolicies to include maritime workers to their prioritised lists for COVID-19vaccinations, while administrating the vaccines on sailors and maritime workersof vessels docking at ports under their management.

Agreeing with Sang’s proposal, the IMO Secretary-Generalsuggested that the official put the proposal into discussion during the 103th meetingof the IMO’s Maritime Safety Committee which is slated for May 5.

Lim said that the IMO is working with theInternational Labour Organisation (ILO), the International Civil Aviation Organisation(ICAO) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) to call on governments toprioritise sailors in their COVID-19 vaccination programmes, thus creatingoptimal conditions for safe travelling cross borders.

A joint statement is being drafted by UN agencies, whichwill be issued soon, he added.

Lim said that the IMO will create best conditions for discussionswith its member countries and representatives of the maritime sector’srepresentatives as well as the UN agencies and relevant parties to build a vaccinationcoordination strategy.

Meanwhile, sailors, maritime enterprises and maritimetransport associations have submitted requests to authorised agencies, aking for prioritised COVID-19vaccinations for sailors working onboard cargo vessels.

According to the Vietnam Maritime Search andRescue Coordination Center, search and rescue activities have been maintained round-the-clock since the beginning of COVID-19outbreak, but with high risks, especially in the cases involving foreignsailors.

Leaders of the centre has proposed that the Government andauthorised agencies put maritime rescuers into the prioritised list in the COVID-19vaccination scheme, thus maintaining effective operations of the force./.