Vaccination of Seafarers and Frequently Asked Questions

The attached IG Document Vaccination of Seafarers, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) relating to P&I Club Cover has been produced by the thirteen Clubs which are members of the International Group of P&I Clubs (IG).

IG PI Vaccination FAQs July 2021.pdf 

Now that countries are beginning to vaccinate foreign seafarers it is important to coordinate COVID-19 vaccinations with the vessel’s local agents who can liaise with approved medical service providers in order to set up a vaccination plan for the incoming vessels in compliance with the local regulations and protocols in place. Though the vaccination program remains an operational matter shipowners may wish to liaison with the Club’s local correspondents for guidance and in that context we refer to our Member Alert of May 28th 2021.

A question frequently asked refers to the documentation the shipowner and seafarer are required to provide. Since the shipowner is simply facilitating the opportunity to be vaccinated, a letter of indemnity is not considered necessary. If deemed appropriate, a simple acknowledgment of the facilitation would be sufficient. Shipowners should seek their own legal advice on this point in the applicable jurisdiction.

The vaccine administrator may require a letter of consent in order to vaccinate the seafarer, which is likely to include a declaration that the seafarer has been fully briefed, including having any questions satisfactorily answered, and acknowledges the risks involved.

Shipowners may wish to make translation/interpretation services available so that a seafarer can communicate accurately in respect of any previous health issues and the attached IG Document provides a link to multilingual COVID-19 resources which may be useful to seafarers.

For further information we refer to our website which is continuously updated following the development of the coronavirus and its impact on shipping. We further refer to our TELP services providing useful information for all ports.

The IG Personal Injury Committee, which our colleague Birgitta Hed presently have the honour to chair, take pride in the collaboration with the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) and will continue to support and cooperate in the revision of the publication on "Coronavirus (COVID-19): Legal, Liability and Insurance Issues arising from Vaccination of Seafarers".

All clubs in the International Group have issued a similarly worded  IG Document.

The Swedish Club publishes Member Alerts as a service to members.