February 17, 2021

by INTLREG Admin

INTLREG – working in the COVID era

All our lives have been drastically transformed by the pandemic. Now, when everyone wants life back to normal, we all know that the post-COVID age would have little resemblance to the past. Health experts are hopeful about the vaccines already taking place around the globe, but the pandemic will not be over anytime soon. 

How INTLREG reacted to the crisis? 

Work from home and Implementation of Remote Survey Techniques. 

During the difficult time of worldwide pandemic with the COVID-19 outbreak, though working from home is not easy as we deal with higher tonnage Vessels which are miles and miles away in the sea, International Register of Shipping (INTLREG) operated remotely with a lot of planning preventing any delays supporting Vessel Owners and Managers. We ensured that our customers’ businesses continued to operate smoothly. Remote Surveys were carried out for some of the vessels based on flag authorization. INTLREG remote surveys helped some ship owners to manage critical situations, caused by logistical problems thus ensuring uninterrupted operation of their vessels. Major surveys, which were not possible to be conducted as remote were carried out in the traditional way ensuring the safety of our surveyors and vessel’ crew with proper social distancing and other precautions as per WHO and CDC guidelines.

INTLREG had already embraced Digital Technology; we had already started issuing Electronic Certificates, and an online platform for survey management and reporting. INTLREG eShips also helped to provide uninterrupted service to customers during these challenging times. Social media platforms were utilized to connect with our customers, the seafarers, and the principals.

The most important factor during these difficult times was the realization of how important Mental Health in the Industry is. Our seafarers are going through a lot of challenges across the globe, onshore jobs are also facing issues as we are going through such a huge crisis and there is a lot of uncertainty. The pandemic has taught us how crucial it is to take care of our mental health.

As per the latest news, the COVID-19 is not going away soon; the normal life or work routines we follow for centuries have been changed. We are following the most stringent physical distancing protocol; face masks and sanitizers are mandatory all over the world and are a part of our new lifestyle.

For the Maritime Industry, the pandemic expedited the introduction of new technologies such as Remote Surveys / Drone Surveys and also defined the latest working ways in this century. It was really promising to see how our industry embraced the technology. Still, there are many concerns for the Maritime World with regards to newly introduced methods of work. In the coming days, we will see many tasks handled remotely with the right planning and use of Digital and remote technologies.

It will be a good result of COVID-19 to serve as a trigger for individuals to analyze their thoughts and return to work with a refreshed energy to make life safer at sea. It will also enable technology to strengthen the capabilities of all those connected to our industry.