Vizhinjam port in Thiruvananthapuram has handled its first crew-change operation since the Covid-19 pandemic, allowing three seafarers to sign on and three to sign off from the vessel MV Nexor at the port’s outer anchorage on Saturday. The operation marks the resumption of a maritime service that had made Vizhinjam an important crew-change centre during the pandemic.
The Indian crew members were transported between the vessel and the shore by boat. Nine other crew members were also brought ashore after being granted 24-hour shore leave. They met their families, who had travelled from different cities, and visited locations in Thiruvananthapuram before returning to the ship anchored offshore.
The operation was enabled by a recent standard operating procedure issued by the Directorate General of Shipping. The procedure permits crew sign-on and sign-off at an outer anchorage within port limits, subject to permission from port and immigration authorities. This allows vessels to complete crew changes without entering a berth, provided the required permissions and operational arrangements are in place.
Waterline Shipping coordinated and operated the transfer. The company transported the crew members to and from the vessel and assisted them while they used the ladder alongside the ship. It also supplied spare parts, provisions and drums of critical lubricating oil to MV Nexor, which had been waiting at sea for further sailing orders for an extended period.
The vessel had already required assistance after one crew member was brought ashore following a medical emergency. The latest operation therefore involved not only replacing crew but also supporting the vessel with essential supplies and shore access while it remained at the outer anchorage.
Vizhinjam’s crew-change role expanded during the Covid-19 pandemic, when special arrangements allowed seafarers to be replaced without ships entering the port or berth. Around 12,500 crew members were replaced on nearly 1,000 ships at Vizhinjam during the two-year pandemic period. Those operations ended after the pandemic, leaving the port without a regular crew-change service.
The Kerala Maritime Board-managed port is located 100 metres from the Vizhinjam international port. The renewed operation is expected to help restore Vizhinjam’s position as a crew-change hub and add another maritime service for vessels sailing close to the Kerala coast. The immediate operation was completed under the new Directorate General of Shipping procedure with the involvement of port and immigration authorities.
