What if a crew member on board of a vessel needs urgent medical assistance? Falling sick may happen with anyone, anywhere, at the sea as well. What should a Master (and the shipoperator) do, if hospitalisation of a man is required? In the present post, we consider the sequence of events and actions for hospitalisation of a crewmember.
As was reported by a Master, one of the crewmembers had got a health problem. After consulting with the doctor by phone, Master took an urgent decision to alter the course towards the nearest port to disembark the sick man, and informed the shipoperator about his decision. The ship operator urgently contacted a P&I correspondent to enable her to take care about this matter acting for and on behalf of the ship owner in assisting the Master to contact the local authorities for emergency call and delivery of the man to the hospital. In order to arrange the port call, the ship operator requested the P&I correspondent to advise contact details of the local Agents to get into contact with the Master regarding ETA notices and pre-arrival information. The P&I correspondent contacted with the Agent to serve the request. The Agent, in turn, confirmed to the shipoperator his readiness to attend the case and contacted the doctor for instructions and suggestions for the health care. Meanwhile, the shipoperator made a formal official appointment to the Agent requesting for proforma of disbursement account (D/A) and estimated costs for the emergency call. In view of the weekend, the bankers were closed, and, therefore, the shipoperator requested the Agent to postpone the payment as per D/A until Monday. The Agent informed it was not a problem. He asked the ship owner for the Power of Attorney, signed and stamped, in order to enable the Agent to act on behalf of the shipowner in the face of the Harbour Master, Customs and Health authorities to apply free pratique, etc...
On vessel's arrival to the pilot station, the crewman was successfully disembarked to the pilot boat for further delivery to the hospital, and the vessel sailed to the next scheduled port of call in accordance with minimum safe manning plan. The P&I correspondent will now take care of the case providing the shipoperator with medical reports. She will also be busy with repatriation formalities of the crewman in due time.
Wishing your crewmen to be in good health at sea and everywhere.
As was reported by a Master, one of the crewmembers had got a health problem. After consulting with the doctor by phone, Master took an urgent decision to alter the course towards the nearest port to disembark the sick man, and informed the shipoperator about his decision. The ship operator urgently contacted a P&I correspondent to enable her to take care about this matter acting for and on behalf of the ship owner in assisting the Master to contact the local authorities for emergency call and delivery of the man to the hospital. In order to arrange the port call, the ship operator requested the P&I correspondent to advise contact details of the local Agents to get into contact with the Master regarding ETA notices and pre-arrival information. The P&I correspondent contacted with the Agent to serve the request. The Agent, in turn, confirmed to the shipoperator his readiness to attend the case and contacted the doctor for instructions and suggestions for the health care. Meanwhile, the shipoperator made a formal official appointment to the Agent requesting for proforma of disbursement account (D/A) and estimated costs for the emergency call. In view of the weekend, the bankers were closed, and, therefore, the shipoperator requested the Agent to postpone the payment as per D/A until Monday. The Agent informed it was not a problem. He asked the ship owner for the Power of Attorney, signed and stamped, in order to enable the Agent to act on behalf of the shipowner in the face of the Harbour Master, Customs and Health authorities to apply free pratique, etc...
On vessel's arrival to the pilot station, the crewman was successfully disembarked to the pilot boat for further delivery to the hospital, and the vessel sailed to the next scheduled port of call in accordance with minimum safe manning plan. The P&I correspondent will now take care of the case providing the shipoperator with medical reports. She will also be busy with repatriation formalities of the crewman in due time.
Wishing your crewmen to be in good health at sea and everywhere.
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