The Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration, in collaboration with relevant departments, promotes eight measures to facilitate services for seafarers.

On September 18, the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration, in collaboration with Shanghai Customs and the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection, held a policy dissemination meeting at the Shanghai Seafarer Assessment Demonstration Center. The meeting was focused on introducing and explaining several measures to facilitate services for seafarers, as outlined in the "Notice on Issuing Several Measures to Facilitate Seafarer Services" (hereinafter referred to as the "Notice") published on September 1. The event attracted over 70 attendees, including representatives from local terminals, shipping companies, seafarer dispatching agencies, and industry associations.

The dissemination meeting introduced the background and overall details of the "Notice," followed by an explanation by the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection on measures related to port passage verification, maritime emergency rescue, and the processing of permits for family members boarding ships for visits. Shanghai Customs clarified the procedures for joint baggage inspections for seafarers and pilot programs for onboard courier deliveries. The Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration highlighted service arrangements concerning the establishment of seafarer rest stations, convenient internal transportation (shuttle buses) within port areas, and seafarer rights protection. During the interactive exchange session, attendees actively raised questions about key issues, such as the processing time for family visit permits, applications for onboard courier delivery, participation conditions for rest station construction, and the initiation process for the "4+1" rescue mechanism. The three departments provided on-the-spot answers to each query, creating a lively atmosphere of discussion.

"This dissemination meeting clearly explained all the policies related to passage, customs clearance, family visits, and rescue in one go. It was highly informative and practical. We'll refine and implement measures in accordance with the 'Notice' once we return to our respective posts, ensuring the policies reach the front line of the terminals," said a representative of a terminal operator after the meeting. A representative from a shipping company added, "Allowing family members to independently apply for boarding permits to visit and enabling direct delivery of parcels to ships are tangible benefits for seafarers. The sailors are very encouraged after hearing about these measures." Several participating organizations expressed their intention to promptly convey the spirit of the meeting, ensuring that front-line managers and seafarers fully understand and utilize the policies.

"The dissemination meeting is just the starting point. The core goal is to ensure the effective implementation of the eight measures," said a representative from the Seafarer Management Office of the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration. The aim of this dissemination is to clearly interpret the policy provisions and clarify the processing channels, reducing the need for seafarers and companies to make extra trips and enabling quicker processes. For the issues that could not be immediately resolved on-site, the three departments will systematically address and follow up on them later, providing timely feedback to the companies.

It is understood that the "Notice" disseminated this time is the first systematically introduced set of convenience service measures aimed at seafarers through a joint issuance by Shanghai port authorities. Focusing on addressing pressing and urgent issues faced by seafarers, it outlines eight measures, including port passage, baggage customs clearance, family visits, emergency rescue, parcel delivery, rest station services, and rights protection. These measures have been in effect since their release on September 1, marking a transition for Shanghai port seafarer services from "independent operations" to a new phase of "collaborative integration."

As a crucial international shipping hub, the Port of Shanghai is expected to handle 46,000 international vessel visits and facilitate crew changes for over 63,000 seafarers by 2025. For many years, the scale of overseas-based seafarer dispatches from Shanghai has been the largest in the country. Currently, the Shanghai region has established 46 seafarer rest stations, along with eight one-stop centers for seafarer rights protection and dispute resolution, of which eight stations operate 24 hours a day. On average, they provide services to over 3,800 seafarers monthly, laying a solid foundation for implementing various convenience measures.

Looking ahead, the Shanghai Maritime Safety Administration will continue to collaborate with Shanghai Customs and the Shanghai General Station of Immigration Inspection to deepen the dissemination and interpretation of policies. Going forward, they will work to deliver these policies to companies, terminals, and rest stations, track the implementation effectiveness of various measures, and make timely optimizations and improvements when needed. The aim is to ensure that seafarers can "come ashore smoothly, move conveniently, and handle affairs swiftly," allowing them to truly experience the convenience and warmth of Shanghai port. This would provide strong support for enhancing Shanghai's status as an international shipping center and for building a high-quality seafarer workforce.