Several crew members on board a Maersk containership have tested positive for COVID-19 in China.
A spokesperson for Maersk confirmed to gCaptain that seven affected crew members on board Gjertrud Maersk were evacuated after the vessel berthed at Ningbo, China on March 26, 2020.
Maersk says testing has now shown that five of the seafarers have been confirmed with COVID-19, including four who are reported to be asymptomatic, the spokesperson said. The other two have tested negative for the virus.
Maersk said the 9,074 TEU Gjertrud Maersk was awaiting phasing into Maersk’s network and is currently idle at the quayside in Ningbo. The vessel is registered in Denmark.
The affected seafarers are all reported to be in stable condition.
Maersk’s full statement is below:
“We can confirm that during the past week, several seafarers onboard the container vessel Gjertrud Maersk were feeling unwell. The safety and health of our people is our main priority and we are doing our utmost to provide the best possible care for our colleagues affected. As per our established protocols the seafarers were isolated on the vessel when symptoms appeared, and we are providing medical treatment based on input from our medical advisors.
“We are in close dialogue with local Chinese Government Authorities as well as Port Authorities who are providing assistance in handling the situation. On 26 March 2020, the vessel was brought alongside and 7 affected seafarers were evacuated ashore for medical treatment and care.
“The official report from authorities was released today, 30 March 2020, concluding that one of the seafarers has been diagnosed with Covid-19 and four seafarers are asymptomatic infected individuals. The other two are tested negative. The hospitalized seafarers are all in stable conditions.
“The vessel was awaiting phasing into our network and currently idle at the quayside in Ningbo, China. Extra precaution measures will be taken for crew replacement and sanitations will be implemented.”
Sign up for gCaptain’s newsletter and never miss an update
Essential maritime and offshore news, insights, and updates delivered daily straight to your inbox
The prospect of a deal over Iran’s nuclear program saw oil fall sharply on Thursday. The reality is that Tehran has relatively little extra crude that it can bring back — but it could arrive in a market that’s gearing up for surplus.
Estonia said on Thursday that Moscow had briefly sent a fighter jet into NATO airspace over the Baltic Sea during an attempt to stop a Russian-bound oil tanker thought to be part of a "shadow fleet" defying Western sanctions on Moscow.
China’s widening trade surplus with the European Union is fueling fresh concerns that the 27-nation bloc risks becoming a dumping ground for cheap goods in the volatile tariff confrontation between Washington and Beijing.
Subscribe to gCaptain Daily and stay informed with the latest global maritime and offshore news
Stay informed with the latest maritime and offshore news, delivered daily straight to your inbox
Essential news coupled with the finest maritime content sourced from across the globe.
Sign Up
Join The Club
