Article

Jamaica: Pilots demanding COVID vaccination or they stop working


published on 10 April 2021 517 -

A very controversial demand:

Original article by Nadine Wilson-Harris, Staff Reporter "The Gleaner", published on April 8th 2021

President of the Marine Pilot Association, Hubert Kerr, said that the pilots will not be satisfied with just being placed on a priority list, but are instead advocating for the actual jab to boost their protection against COVID-19, given their interaction with persons from different countries daily.

Jamaica’s marine pilots are warning that they will stop working if they do not get their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, which is currently being given to priority groups and the elderly.

President of the Marine Pilot Association, Hubert Kerr, said that the pilots will not be satisfied with just being placed on a priority list, but are instead advocating for the actual jab to boost their protection against COVID-19, given their interaction with persons from different countries daily.

“Without any vaccine, at midnight tonight, we will stop work and until we get the vaccine, not promises, until we are vaccinated, then we will come back,” Kerr warned.

Although there are 24 marine pilots, Kerr said he is also concerned about the pilot boat drivers who take them to the ships.

The association president said that although his colleagues have been observing the COVID-19 prevention control measures like wearing masks and sanitising, they are fearful of getting the virus.
“Because of the close proximity that we are working in, if one of the pilots catches it, even if he is asymptomatic and he passes it on, we can have a total shut down of the ports in Jamaica,” he said.

According to Kerr, he has been in dialogue with the president and chief executive officer of the Port Authority of Jamaica, Professor Gordon Shirley, since January and that a letter was sent to him in February to highlight the concerns.
Jamaica received its first shipment of the AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine on March 10 and since then approximately 44,000 persons have received their first jab.
Persons need two shots of the AstraVeneca vaccine to be fully vaccinated.

Noting that in Singapore marine personnel were among the first to be vaccinated, Kerr believes that a similar consideration should have been given in Jamaica.
“After midnight, just imagine all those ships you see down the wharf, if we don’t go and take it out, no cargo can move,” he said.

“Almost everything for the continued development and growth or stability of the country that takes place, it comes through the shipping port. If the shipping port closes down, no flour, no rice, nothing at all can move,” Kerr said.
He said that the marine pilots have been warning port authority officials about their plan from Tuesday and are “dead serious” about carrying it out if their request is not met.

“We are going to stop working until we get the vaccine, so if you carry the vaccine come next week Wednesday and push it in people’s arm, then after we get the vaccine, we will start working, that’s the position,” Kerr said.
What's your opinion on this?
Login or register to write comments and join the discussion!
Read more...

Video The Port Authority of Jamaica | Critical Services - Pilotage

published on 15 April 2021

Pilotage is compulsory in all Jamaican ports and is a necessity for the safe passage and docking of ships entering and leaving the harbours. No ship or vessel can enter our Ports without the #PortAuthorityJa’s pilotage services. #MarinePilots, being the experts in local conditions, are required to assist in the navigation and manoeuvring of vessels in our channels and port areas and are dispatched to all ports in Jamaica on a 24 hour basis. Our #PilotBoatCrew ensures that Marine Pilots are...

1

Video PAJ Marine Pilot - Captain Andre Smith, TVJ Smile Jamaica Feature

published on 16 December 2021

Good insight into the work of the pilots in Jamaica.

0

Article Trelleborg supplies Piloting Software to Peel Ports Group

by Baird Maritime - published on 13 September 2022

Trelleborg Marine and Infrastructure has supplied its advanced navigation and piloting solutions for pilotage applications to facilitate the safe and efficient berthing of vessels and to increase safety of larger vessels at Peel Ports Group.

0

Article Safehaven Marine has signed a contract with the Port Authority of Montrose

published on 29 July 2021

Safehaven Marine has signed a contract with the Port Authority of Montrose on the east coast of Scotland for the delivery of a 15m pilot boat Interceptor 48, scheduled for delivery in August 2022.

1

Video Suez canal blocked: attempts continue to free stuck megaship Ever Given

published on 25 March 2021

Efforts to free the giant container ship are continuing after the 400m-long vessel became stuck in the Suez canal. Local authorities attempted to dislodge the 220,000 ton vessel from the banks of the canal using tug boats, but the megaship remains stuck more than one day after it ran aground.

1

Article Kiel Canal, Germany : Freighter rams Kiel lock gate on Sun 14th Mar 2021

by Frank Diegel - published on 14 March 2021

An accident occurred in the Kiel Canal lock at Kiel-Holtenau. A freighter crashed into the gate of the north chamber on Saturday. The Kiel Canal is the busiest man-made waterway in the world.

1

Video HMM - Maiden voyage of HMM Algeciras #10-Hamburg

published on 18 July 2020

#MaidenVoyage #HMMalgeciras
The maiden voyage of HMM Algeciras #10-Hamburg: Look at the sunrise in Hamburg, Germany. The city awakes, but the port never sleeps. The HMM Algeciras, the first largest containership in the world, bids farewell to Hamburg.

0

Video Delaware River Pilots - 2013

published on 26 May 2020

A story I shot on the Delaware river pilots, very cool people who have a very important job. Every cargo ship that has to get anywhere up the Delaware River gets a pilot delivered to it while in the Delaware Bay, who guides it up through the narrow shoals

0

Video Polaris - Pilot Boat

published on 14 October 2021

Vessel's details: IMO: 9496915 Name: POLARIS Vessel Type - Generic: Pilot Vessel Vessel Type - Detailed: Special Vessel Status: Active MMSI: 245142000 Call Sign: PBZN Flag: Netherlands [NL] Gross Tonnage: 2501 Summer DWT: 890 t Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 81.2 x 13.3 m Year Built: 2012 Home Port: ROTTERDAM Geo location: 51.980840, 4.112364

0