Emergency Contact Coronavirus: Challenges in meeting operational and regulatory requirements Home Latest updates News Coronavirus: Challenges in meeting operational and regulatory requirements 20 Mar 2020 Download Sign up for alerts The Club understands that in view of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, owners and managers are facing challenges in meeting various statutory requirements. The situation has been particularly impactful  on the requirements stipulated by the Maritime Labour Convention (as applicable) and also in making arrangements for mandatory surveys and audits necessary for statutory certification. With regards to the Maritime Labour Convention, these challenges are most prevalent in the crewing of vessels which have lead to an inability to timely repatriate seafarers at the end of the period listed in their Seafarer’s Employment Agreement (SEA). Such situations may also result in seafarers staying on board beyond the maximum allowed period and thereby contravening the applicable regulations of the Maritime Labour Convention. If Members are faced with such a situation, they should contact their Flag State and submit a request for extension of the sea service period of the individual seafarer and submit together with associated documents, as required by the Flag State. If, as a result of COVID-19 situation, Members find themselves unable to arrange the mandatory surveys and audits required for statutory certification, it is imperative that they apply for an extension on the stated deadline to ensure that their statutory certificates remain valid and do not lapse as a result. In such cases, the Member should closely liaise with the applicable Recognised Organisation (RO), such as Class, that may have issued statutory certificates on behalf of the Flag State. Any application for an extension, on  either the validity of statutory certificates or the timeframe for mandatory surveys and audits, should be submitted to the Flag State wit