Maritime Workers Exposure to the Spread of Covid-19: Seaports to-and-fro Urban Center Interaction Health Safety Guide

Abstract

The study assessed the risk of exposure of shore-based and ship-based maritime workers to the spread of covid-19 pandemic by estimating the level of human-infective covid-19 pathogen-hosts to which the maritime workers are exposed per square kilometer of travel to-and-fro the ports; in the course of their routine travel interactions between the urban cum sub-urban built environments and the seaports as the domain, base and major host of most maritime operators. With the aim of providing knowledge to achieve the objective of flattening the curve of transmission of covid-19 between the maritime sector and other build environment types; the study identified the urban centers and the suburbs in the port cities comprising the Western, Eastern and Delta ports in Lagos, Warri and Onne/Port-Harcourt respectively as the covid-19 hotspots in each maritime region in Nigeria. It used the proximity model to analyze secondary data on confirmed covid-19 cases in each city to estimate the risk of exposure of maritime workers in each port zone to the spread of the covid-19 pandemic based on the proximity of the maritime port zones to the urban centers and the suburbs as covid-19 hotspots. It developed an exposure risk matrix for the Nigeria maritime industry as health safety guide for maritime workers in the course of their travel interaction from the port to-and-fro the city centers and sub-urban built environments.

Seaports during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Terminal Operators’ Tactical Responses to Disruptions in Maritime Supply Chains

“…Zhang et al [56] in addition to strengthening the overseas port policy, also pointed to measures such as port linking tracking, avoiding ship charter disputes and legal risks, improving the system of prevention and control of cruise ships, and promoting the development of smart ports and smart shipping. Also Chinonyerem et al [57] and Doumbia-Henry [58] underlined that seaports response strategies had to a larger extent take into account a stronger integration of global supply chains. It is necessary to further standardise the procedures and digitise the ports in order to streamline transmission of information required by authorities in connection with formalities related to cargoes, and to facilitate and decrease administrative burdens for ship data providers [59].…”

“…Michail and Melas [61] Gaskin et al [53] Faqiang and Abliakimova [54] Kolesnikova [55] Chinonyerem et al [57] Doumbia-Henry [58] Presented paper…”