Asked by: Kevan Jones (Labour - North Durham)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support his Department is providing to the maritime sector as part of the economic recovery from the covid-19 oubreak.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The maritime sector plays a vital role in the UK economy and continues to provide vital freight and key worker services throughout the pandemic. However, as with many parts of the economy, it has faced significant disruption and challenges. That is why the Chancellor announced a £330bn package of financial support to support businesses and employees during these unprecedented times. In addition, the Department provided bespoke financial support to ensure that critical lifeline and freight services continued to operate through the most challenging period.
My Department is now working closely across the maritime sector on their restart plans identifying the support that is needed to enable the safe resumption and continued increase of services and operations. We are also working with the sector on a longer-term Maritime Recovery Plan which will build on the Maritime 2050 launched by the Government last year. The Recovery Plan will draw on the plans the industry has already provided and consider both fiscal and non-fiscal opportunities.
Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for International Trade:
To ask the Secretary of State for International Trade, what plans her Department has to support the maritime sector as part of the economic recovery from covid-19.
Answered by Graham Stuart
With 95% of our imports and exports reliant on the sea and just under 1 million jobs dependent on maritime related activities, the maritime sector is critical to the UK’s economy. Uncertainties around global recovery and fluctuations in global trade have severely impacted the sector.
The Department for International Trade’s (DIT) support for the maritime sector’s recovery is being developed in partnership with the Department for Transport (DfT), the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and key industry bodies; the DfT COVID-19 recovery plan will be published in the coming months.
DIT is delivering a programme of virtual trade events to help the sector reach existing and potential customers across the globe, mitigating some of the impact of COVID-19 travel restrictions on physical trade events. DIT remains committed to delivering Promoting the UK’s world-class global maritime offer, the Department’s five-year plan for the sector, focused on the key themes and drivers of growth identified in Government’s Maritime 2050 Strategy.
Asked by: Steve Double (Conservative - St Austell and Newquay)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support his Department is providing to the maritime sector as part of the economic recovery from covid-19.
Answered by Andrew Stephenson - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The maritime sector plays a vital role in the UK economy and continues to provide vital freight and key worker services throughout the pandemic. However, as with many parts of the economy, it has faced significant disruption and challenges. That is why the Chancellor announced a £330bn package of financial support to support businesses and employees during these unprecedented times. In addition, the Department provided bespoke financial support to ensure that critical lifeline and freight services continued to operate through the most challenging period.
My Department is now working closely across the maritime sector on their restart plans identifying the support that is needed to enable the safe resumption and continued increase of services and operations. We are also working with the sector on a longer-term Maritime Recovery Plan which will build on the Maritime 2050 launched by the Government last year. The Recovery Plan will draw on the plans the industry has already provided and consider both fiscal and non-fiscal opportunities.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Baroness Vere of Norbiton on 20 July (HL6506), what is the median length of time that foreign national crew have spent stranded in UK ports; what is the cost of the repatriation programme; and whether they claim back the costs of repatriation from ship owners.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
We do not have median figures. The Department began work on facilitating repatriation 90 days ago (as at 29 July). At that time there were 11,374 crew in the UK. To date we have facilitated the repatriation of over 13,000 seafarers and there are currently 4,258 awaiting repatriation.
Many vessels arriving in the UK are able to repatriate large numbers of seafarers over the 2-3 days after arrival. However, for seafarers from certain countries the length of time in the UK will be longer due to restrictions in their own state.
It should also be noted that seafarers arriving in the UK may still be under their original contract and, outside the pandemic conditions, would not be due to be repatriated. The cost of repatriation is met by the shipping company and not by the Government.
Asked by: Lord Hylton (Crossbench - Excepted Hereditary)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of vessels in British ports or territorial waters whose crews have been on board for more than eleven months; and what steps they are taking to ensure the repatriation of such crew members.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
For cruise vessels laid up in the UK, we are aware of 39 seafarers who have now gone over their 11 months. We continue to support operators in regard to repatriation and there are a number of planned repatriation flights over the next four weeks which should see many seafarers returning home. There are a small number of states where repatriation continues to be difficult or not possible and we are working with those States to seek solutions.
In regard to other vessels operating or calling at UK ports, we are not aware of any UK flagged ships in the UK territorial waters with seafarers who have been on board for more than 11 months.
With the exception of cruise vessels, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, as the port state authority, has not been made aware of any seafarers who have been working on board for more than 11 months on non-UK ships.
Asked by: Baroness Randerson (Liberal Democrat - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the proportion of registered UK seafarers who have been stranded abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic who have been repatriated; and what plans they have to ensure that all seafarers are given assistance to enable them to return to the UK.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
Within the cruise sector we have repatriated 1,209 British national seafarers since 16 April. There are 471 British nationals remaining on cruise vessels globally but these are essential staff.
We continue to work with industry and the unions to get better overall data for British seafarers on other types of vessels.
Asked by: Lord Patten (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of (1) vessels, and (2) crew members, registered abroad, currently stranded in UK ports.
Answered by Baroness Vere of Norbiton - Parliamentary Secretary (HM Treasury)
There are currently 4,028 Foreign National crew on board 25 cruise vessels that are not registered in the UK or within the wider Red Ensign Group. 1,250 of these crew require repatriation.
We have so far repatriated 7,752 Foreign National crew from cruise ships not registered with the UK or the wider Red Ensign Group.
We continue to work with the industry, unions and maritime charities to provide support and assistance to all seafarers in the UK.
Asked by: David Jones (Conservative - Clwyd West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what estimate he has made of the number of UK seafarers stranded overseas and awaiting repatriation.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
It is estimated that there are approximately 2-2,500 UK seafarers who either are coming to the end of their contract or will already have had it extended.
Asked by: John Spellar (Labour - Warley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department has taken to facilitate maritime crew changes during the covid-19 pandemic.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The UK has not placed restrictions on the transit and transfer of seafarers. I have previously written to UN organisations asking for an international solution to this issue, confirming the UK’s position on crew changes, and also urged other countries to allow crew changes to take place. The UK has also exempted seafarers from the quarantine requirements
Asked by: Afzal Khan (Labour - Manchester, Gorton)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the implications for his policies of the 5 May 2020 International Maritime Organization publication entitled Coronavirus (COVID-19) - Recommended framework of protocols for ensuring safe ship crew changes and travel during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
Answered by Kelly Tolhurst
The UK has not placed restrictions on the transit and transfer of seafarers. I have previously written to UN organisations asking for an international solution to this issue, confirming the UK’s position on crew changes, and also urged other countries to allow crew changes to take placeMany of the recommendations found in the framework are already in place in the UK and we have already provided specific guidance to the maritime sector.