Seafarers Worldwide Marooned by Perfect Storm of COVID-19 Restrictions

Seafarers Worldwide Marooned by Perfect Storm of COVID-19 Restrictions
Indian dock workers tighten ropes as the MSC Valeria, an ultra-large containership from the Mediterranean Shipping Company S. A., of Geneva, docks at Adani Ports at Mundra, some 400 km from Ahmedabad on June 4, 2013.Sam Panthaky/AFP via Getty Images
George Fu
Updated:
In the wake of the pandemic, over 200,000 seafarers worldwide remain trapped on ships or are waiting for work. Many have been barred from entering ports due to virus restrictions, causing major disruption to international shipping lanes and the wellbeing of sea workers.  

A crew change or changeover occurs at a port of call where a new batch of crew members arrive to replace outgoing crew who are nearing the end of their contracts.