Hong Kong port has made changes to their crew change rules. Now crew members can easily sign on and sign off from the Port city without restrictions. The new rules have been in force from last night, thus relieving lot of seafarers who wants to sign off or sign on. As per the rules, seafarers who wishes to join the ship has to reach Hong Kong, while ship is at berth. That means no hotel stay will be there for them until it is for genuine reasons. For seafarers who are signing off, they will be directly taken to airport, this minimizing any contact with local population of the country. Idea is to cut the stay of any foreign national in the country and subsequent contact with locals.
Shipping managers and agent have to make sure that protocol of self sanitization and no contact with local population to be carried out in such crew changes. No special permits are needed anymore to do the crew change on this port. This is certainly a great news for all the people who are connected to the shipping world.