COVID-19 Maritime Industry Update 86 - 2 August 2021 This guideline is for the maritime industry and port supply chain
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COVID-19 Maritime Industry Update 86 2 August 2021 This guideline is for the maritime industry and port supply chain COVID-19 Maritime industry update 86 Page 1 of 8
COVID-19 Maritime Industry Update 86 Last updated: 2 August 2021 This document is uncontrolled if printed. Please refer to the Maritime New Zealand website for the latest version. In this guide 1. Saliva testing update 3 2. Vaccination update 4 3. Vaccination engagement 5 4. Update on COVID-19 positive vessels 6 5. Answering your questions 7 6. Key sources of information 8 COVID-19 Maritime industry update 86 Page 2 of 8
1. Saliva testing update
Saliva testing continues to be rolled out with Dunedin, Auckland and Northland ports the
next to be offered saliva testing.
Border workers are literally on the front line of our defence against COVID-19, so it’s important to
encourage maximum uptake of vaccination and make it easier for regular surveillance testing through the
option of saliva testing.
Border workers on a 7 or 14-day testing regime can now choose to do a series of tests instead of nasal
swab testing. The initial plan was to have swabs taken 3 times in a 7-day period but this did not match
with the different shift configurations in operation across the port environment.
An invitation to participate in saliva testing will soon be sent out to everyone through PCBUs. Workers
must commit to a minimum of 2 tests within 7 days and may be tested more often if they choose. There
will be at least a minimum of 2 days between tests. Ideally a final test in a series should be taken at least
3 days after being at work if the worker is away for an extended period.
Saliva testing involves a self-collection method which requires 1-2 ml of saliva deposited into a tube and
can be undertaken at work or at home. Tests will be collected through a daily courier service from
workplaces. Workers must also refrain from eating, drinking and smoking for 30 minutes before the test is
collected.
Employers will need to let workers know that saliva testing will soon be an option and click the indicator in
the Border Worker Testing Register (BWTR) that saliva testing has been chosen. Further information will
be made available soon so there is nothing for employers or workers to do at this point.
Saliva testing can take place with greater regularity than nasal tests and has a greater chance of picking
up cases where a person has become positive in between nasal tests. It also has the added benefit of
being painless, unlike nasal tests which many workers find unpleasant.
If you have any questions please feel free to send these to MNZCovid-19@maritimenz.govt.nz and we will
send them on to the Ministry of Health, and include answers in future updates.
The Maritime Industry Update is issued fortnightly, usually in the first half of the week. However,
publication days might change when there is a need to provide a quick update.
If you have any questions about updates, or suggestions for what you would like included, please
contact Maritime NZ by emailing MNZCovid-19@maritimenz.govt.nz.
COVID-19 Maritime industry update 86 Page 3 of 82. Vaccination update
The amended Vaccination Order brought more border workers into the priority Group 1 for
vaccinations, and with the Vaccination Order now in full effect, we anticipate an uplift in
unvaccinated workers booking their first and second shots.
Making vaccination mandatory is part of the precautionary approach the Government is taking to limit the
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potential for COVID-19 to come through the ports and to keep your whanau and communities safe.
There is still plenty of time for border workers to book their first shot. Privately employed workers must
receive their first shot by 30 September and any new workers must receive their first shot before
commencing employment.
Lastly, your local DHB will be in touch to invite workers to make a booking, however you can book your
vaccination by calling 0800 28 29 26 between 7am and 7pm, and say you are a border worker who
needs a vaccination. As a border worker, you will be given priority treatment.
Please contact bordersectorvaccinations@health.govt.nz if you have any questions.
COVID-19 Maritime industry update 86 Page 4 of 83. Vaccination engagement
Maritime NZ and the Ministry of Health have been touring the country’s ports, working
alongside PCBUs and the local DHB to answer questions and encourage border workers to
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get vaccinated and keep themselves and their whanau safe.
Recent events of maritime vessels arriving at New Zealand ports with infected crew members underline
the heightened risk our port workers face. Highly transmissible variants like the Delta Variant, which was
found to have infected the international seafarers, greatly increases the risk of COVID-19 crossing our
border through the ports.
While the vaccination response from border workers has been encouraging, there are people who need
access to more information or to have barriers to vaccination removed before they are able to comply
with the Vaccination Order. The goal of the visits has been to listen to the workers and understand where
help can be offered to make getting vaccinated easier, for example setting up contact numbers to help
workers make priority bookings.
To date visits have been made to Auckland, Lyttelton, Tauranga, Napier and Wellington. The ports we will
visit next are Nelson, Port Chalmers, Timaru, New Plymouth and Gisborne. These visits have included
representatives from the local DHB and discussions have been very constructive. MoH and Maritime NZ
have learnt a lot and we are keen to use this knowledge to encourage higher vaccination rates amongst
border workers in the weeks ahead.
While there is a need for more guidance to help those who are hesitant to get the vaccine, one of the key
issues centres on worker unavailability – namely, shifts not aligning with vaccination schedules. As a
result, work is being done to adjust the vaccination timetables to tie in with worker availability. Vaccination
centres are now all open seven days a week, which should make it easier for these Group 1 workers.
If you are still unsure about whether it is safe, find out more for yourself by viewing the web resources
below:
• COVID-19 vaccine - Your questions answered.pdf
• COVID-19 vaccine - Your safety and side effects questions answered.pdf
Lastly, once a worker has been vaccinated, the worker’s PCBU needs to advise MoH that they want
access to the worker’s vaccination data. When you go into the BWTR system, please take the time to
review your information and ensure it is up-to-date.
COVID-19 Maritime industry update 86 Page 5 of 84. Update on COVID-19 positive vessels Since the last Maritime industry Update, two more vessels have joined the Viking Bay with COVID-19 positive crew on board. It is encouraging to see those involved in the response working together to ensure the safety of port workers and international crew and we thank everyone for their patience and practical approach in accommodating these vessels. Below are updates on the situation with each vessel but please bear in mind this may have changed since writing. The Viking Bay in Wellington will soon have all crew back on board with all crew members having served out their quarantine period. The Viking Bay will leave Wellington and continue their fishing voyage once all crew have returned. The fishing vessel Playa Zahara remains in quarantine at Lyttelton Port with all crew now recovered and returned to the ship. This vessel has recently departed Lyttelton to continue its voyage. The Mattina remains in quarantine in Bluff with most on board testing positive. Some crew are in an MIF facility and a decision will soon be made on whether the ship remains in its current berth or moved to somewhere else in the port. As of Friday 30 July, two crew members have been moved to Southland Hospital for assessment and ongoing care. In time the Mattina will be continuing its voyage, which will include discharging and loading cargo at other New Zealand ports. The ship cannot be reached by the public and there is no health risk to anyone onshore. COVID-19 Maritime industry update 86 Page 6 of 8
5. Answering your questions There are a huge number of stakeholders in the maritime industry and ports’ supply chain, and all of you are affected in different ways by COVID-19 and New Zealand’s response to it. If you have questions you would like answered, please email MNZCovid-19@maritimenz.govt.nz by 5pm, Friday each week. COVID-19 Maritime industry update 86 Page 7 of 8
6. Key sources of information
The following links provide you with key sources of information.
For all your questions, and to provide information MNZCovid-19@maritimenz.govt.nz
and make suggestions – email Maritime NZ
Port and maritime guidelines and other information www.maritimenz.govt.nz – click on the COVID-19
banner on the home page
Official health advice, including testing – Ministry of www.health.govt.nz/
Health
Up-to-date information across the transport sector www.transport.govt.nz/about/covid-19/
(land, sea and air) – Ministry of Transport
All New Zealand COVID-19 legislation www.pco.govt.nz/covid-19-legislation/
New Zealand’s campaign to stamp out COVID-19 www.covid19.govt.nz
Information for businesses operating under alert www.business.govt.nz/covid-19/operating-at-alert-
levels levels/
Wage Subsidy Scheme information www.workandincome.govt.nz/covid-
19/resurgence-wage-subsidy/index.html
Managed Isolation and Quarantine www.miq.govt.nz/
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