Please kindly note important circulars regarding crew claims as follows.
Seafarer health and wellbeing is vital to the safe and profitable operation of ships. We would like to take this opportunity to remind Shipowners of the importance of Pre-Employment Medical Examination.
In order to serve at sea, seafarers must hold a valid medical certificate issued in accordance with the provisions of the STCW Convention, Regulation 1/9 and the STCW Code, Section A-I/9. The ILO/WHO publication “Guidelines on the Medical Examinations of Seafarers” provides the recommended standard for such examinations.
However, the way in which medical fitness is evaluated world-wide is not always consistent, and incidents continue to arise involving the repatriation of seafarers suffering from a pre-existing condition which was not identified during a statutory medical examination. Cases of this nature can be costly and time consuming, particularly if it is necessary to interrupt the voyage and call at an unscheduled port to land a sick seafarer for treatment.
We recognise this risk and, as a precaution, we highly recommend to Shipowners and Managers to request their seafarers to undergo an enhanced Pre-Employment Medical Examination (PEME) at a clinic that Owners trust before they are engaged. Such action may reduce the possibility of expensive illness claims, many of which may have been avoided if the seafarer had undergone a comprehensive pre-employment medical examination by a reliable specialist clinic.
For guidance, we attach a link with the PEME suggested by the American Club. https://www.american-club.com/files/files/cir_08_19.pdf