A NORTH-EAST harbour is offering click-and-collect slots with a difference – to let stricken boat crews off their vessels.
Aberdeen Harbour Board hopes the scheme will ease the strain for seafarers currently working on vessels moored in their anchorage.
The coronavirus pandemic has stopped many vessels sailing, with domestic crews supported by government schemes and overseas workers forced to remain onboard despite a shutdown in activity.
Sailors from up to 50 countries dock in Aberdeen every year and up to 20 craft are at the anchorage every day.
Last month it emerged that crew members from Russia and the Philippines were amongst those left stranded there on board their ships, with all shore leave cancelled amidst virus control measures.
Now harbour bosses have launched their “stow and go” welfare service to help affected sailors manage.
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The scheme, announced yesterday, allows vessels to book a four-hour slot in the port to stock up on essential supplies including food, fuel and critical spare parts for repairs and maintenance.
Ordinarily, companies chartering boats are required to make a full port call booking to allow them to come into the harbour – something which carries a fee.
Aberdeen Harbour bosses say they’ll let the new scheme run for the duration of the lockdown period, which will continue until the public health situation improves.
However, it may be extended when this ends.
Staff at the site are classified as key workers under the current government guidelines.
John McGuigan, the port’s operations manager, commented: “Dues for coming into the harbour are normally paid by the company chartering the vessel, and they book a full port call to allow the vessel to be loaded with cargo. During the Covid-19 crisis, however, when there is less work available, we wanted to support vessel owners and crews who are currently not on charter and to ensure their welfare throughout these unprecedented times.
“We are calling the scheme ‘stow and go’ but I guess it is a bit like booking your pick-up slot at the supermarket”.
Harbour chief executive Michelle Handforth added: “We are very conscious of the impact that the current public health crisis is having, not only on our customers but also on the vessel owners and crews who support them.
“Whilst crews are in-between work they can spend significant time out at the Aberdeen anchorage – there are on average 20 vessels on any given day located there – and we were keen to make the situation as conducive as possible for those crew who, along with those keeping the port open, are essential workers, doing their bit in this crisis.”
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