In collaboration with the Saudi Ports Authority, the Ministry of Health (MOH) has enforced a host of new preventive measures at the Kingdom’s maritime ports, within the framework of a plan meant to combat the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19). The newly deployed plan involves a series of mandatory requirements to be met by the ships and vessels coming to the ports. They are to be added to the preventive measures put into place by the health surveillance centers at ports, as well as those imposed by the Saudi Ports Authority.
As part of the newly announced package of mandatory preventive measures to be followed by the ships and vessels arriving at the Kingdom’s ports, shipping agents are required to electronically inform the health surveillance centers of the arrival of any vessels. The said report involves an e-form stating the health condition of the vessel crew. The master of the vessel shall fill in and sign that form, along with the vessel’s health certificate, and a list of the ports the vessel has stopped by before arriving at the Kingdom’s port.
If the e-report shows no indication of any health risks on board of the vessel, it shall be granted the freedom of communication electronically, without the need for searching it. But in case it reports indications of certain health risks aboard the vessel, no freedom of communication shall be granted to the said vessel except upon searched and permitted by the competent medical crew.
The aforementioned preventive measures shall be put into effect by the health surveillance centers at the Kingdom’s maritime ports, including Jeddah Islamic Port, King Abdulaziz Port in Dammam, Yanbu Commercial Port, Duba Port, Yanbu Industrial Port, and Jazan Port.
The new plan is centered on ongoing coordination with the Saudi Ports Authority to report the arrival of any vessel from any of the countries hit by the outbreak beforehand. It also allows for receiving the health report online, as well as all the vessel's documents, besides the particulars and nationalities of the crew members, and their travel history over the 14 days preceding their arrival. In addition, the plan involves coordination with the General Directorate of Passports, which provides the health authorities at ports with a list of all passengers who have come from or passed by any of the COVID-19-stricken countries during the 14 days preceding their arrival.
Furthermore, the plan specifies the primary and backup hospitals designated for addressing the suspected COVID-19 cases. It also involves training staffers on the basics of infection control, as well as urgent medical isolation of the passengers coming from any of the countries hit by the COVID-19 outbreak.