The Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA) on Thursday released standardized travel protocols for sea, based on the guidelines released by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID).
In a Facebook post, MARINA said the allowable passenger capacity remains at 50 percent of the ship’s regular onboard capacity.
“Social distancing protocols for sitting accommodations (one-seat apart) and laying accommodations must still be observed,” the MARINA said in a Facebook post.
Minimum health standards must be observed by travelers onboard ships.
For shipping companies and operators, “clinical and exposure assessment” must be maintained in all ports of entry and exit so that only “asymptomatic, non-close contact individuals” are allowed to enter their respective local government unit (LGU) jurisdiction.
“Shipping companies must monitor port operators to guarantee that health assessments for passengers are observed upon entry into the port/terminal and exit at the point of destination,” the MARINA said.
Testing for Covid-19 is not mandatory for passengers unless the LGUs require it.
Travelers are also not required to undergo quarantine unless they show Covid-19 related symptoms on their arrival at the LGU of destination.
A travel authority, previously issued by the Joint Task Force COVID Shield, and health certificates are no longer required.
Shipping companies and operators are required to incorporate the contact tracing and health monitoring system of the Stay Safe PH platform in its company policy.
To ensure the safety of passengers during transit, it requires “sufficient” quarantine/isolation facilities in all ships, with shipping companies and operators required to establish a referral system where travelers who become symptomatic must be transferred to the ship’s quarantine/isolation facilities.
“Upon the arrival of the ships to its port of destination, symptomatic passengers must be turned over to the local health officials of the LGU,” it added. (Raymond Carl Dela Cruz/PNA)
