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With many ships entering and leaving Cat Lai port, the anti-pandemic work here has been activated to the highest level. Photo: T.H

Crew members are not allowed to disembark

According to Senior Colonel, Doctor Dau Quoc Tran, Director of Tan Cang Medical Center, member of the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control at Cat Lai Port, on average, there are 22,000 vehicles per day, more than 35,000 people in and out of the port; 14-15 container ships from other countries docked at Cat Lai port.

With the largest volume of cargo ships and people entering and leaving the port in the country, therefore, all plans to organize the prevention of the Covid-19 pandemic are actively implemented by Saigon Newport Corporation and arranged to maintain forces and strictly implement each stage, step by step according to the regulations of the Ministry of Health and the local health sector.

Accordingly, when handling administrative procedures, Saigon Newport Corporation has stepped up the reception and handling of procedures for ships entering and leaving ports and related procedures electronically. Crew members on ships entering from abroad are not allowed to disembark. People on shore are not allowed to come into contact with crew members on board.

The loading and unloading of goods is mainly mechanized. If shore workers do get on board to work, they must be licensed by the Border Guard, must wear protective gear to prevent the virus spread and are not allowed to come into contact with crew members.

The Security Center at the port carries out surveillance using a camera system to ensure no crew members disembark. In addition to propaganda and disease prevention, the unit has provided thousands of masks for officials, employees, customers, sailors and workers; equip 500 bottles of hand sanitizer, 200 bottles of antiseptic solution in necessary places; disinfectant cleaning in crowded areas with Chloramin B.

Recently, Colonel Vo Hoai Nam, Deputy General Director, Head of the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control of Saigon Newport Corporation, inspected the pandemic prevention and control work at three affiliated ports in the region. Cai Mep-Thi Vai port, including: Tan Cang - Cai Mep International Port, Tan Cang-Cai Mep Port and Tan Cang Cai Mep-Thi Vai Port.

According to Mr. Vo Hoai Nam, seaports are potential places for the spread of Covid-19 if not closely monitored and controlled. Every day, the seaports under the unit have tens of thousands of people and vehicles entering and leaving the port. Therefore, the prevention and control of the Covid-19 pandemic must always be strictly ensured.

In order to ensure safe operation, Saigon Newport Corporation directs ports to regularly coordinate with Border Guard forces to control people and vehicles, helping to trace the source of infection; supplementing appropriate plans for handling pandemic prevention and control situations; promote the features of the port security camera system, the data storage time is at least 45 days.

Tan Cang Medical Center coordinates with ports to periodically spray disinfectant and coordinate with the Corporation's functional agencies and local authorities to have an effective plan for pandemic prevention and control.

All seaports in Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring provinces have also raised the level of pandemic prevention to the highest level. Accordingly, all meetings are held online and do not receive guests. At the same time, when handling administrative procedures, the Port has stepped up the reception and handling of procedures for ships entering and leaving the port and related procedures electronically. The loading and unloading of goods is mainly mechanized. Workers from the shore who want to board the ship on duty must be allowed by the Border Guard, and must wear protective gear to prevent pandemics and are not allowed to contact the crew.

In addition to implementing measures to prevent and control the pandemic according to the 5K principle of the Ministry of Health, at seaports, it also promotes the application of registration of service procedures and online payment with customers on the electronic port system (ePort) and electronic delivery orders (eDO) to limit disease transmission and improve service quality and economic efficiency. In addition, security centers at ports also use camera systems to ensure that no crew members disembark.

Covid-19 test from float number 0

Facing the complicated situation of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Port Authority of Ho Chi Minh City has strengthened the Steering Committee for pandemic prevention and control, updated response plans to ensure that the procedures for ships entering and leaving seaports and maritime management activities are not interrupted; promptly grasp the regulations on pandemic prevention and control to employees, businesses, units and individuals involved.

The Port Authority of Ho Chi Minh City will closely coordinate with the Center for Disease Control, the Port Border Guard and relevant agencies to closely inspect and supervise incoming and outgoing ships, crew members and people who often come into contact with the ship; closely monitor the ship's journey and its operation in the seaport area; promptly manage and isolate suspected cases of disease (if any) for incoming ships and boats upon arrival at buoy No. 0.

Ships and boats are only allowed to enter and operate in the area after they have been checked by a specialized force and are not at risk of Covid-19 infection. The Port Authority has also developed a plan to prevent Covid-19 infection for people boarding ships to work and has implemented it for port enterprises, entry and exit boats.

According to the Port Authority of Ho Chi Minh City, for ships returning from abroad, the port authority has built a form on pandemic prevention so that all ships when docked at the port must sign a commitment; unscheduled inspection of ships' compliance with pandemic prevention regulations.

The Port Authority of Ho Chi Minh City recommends that ships from countries with high risk of Covid-19 spread must be tested at the ship first when it docks. In case it is necessary to be taken to isolation, always bring the vehicle from the anchorage to Can Gio.

In order to improve the efficiency of coordination between State management agencies at the port, especially in the prevention and control of the pandemic in the new situation, on May 19, the Port Authority of Ho Chi Minh City presided over the coordination together with State management agencies at seaports to sign amendments and supplements to the Regulation on coordination.

"Currently, pandemic prevention at Ho Chi Minh City's seaports is implemented synchronously and effectively, ensuring the "dual goal" of preventing disease transmission through maritime activities at seaports, while still developing the economy, especially export and import of goods by sea.”