Seafarers caught in MIQ trap

AUCKLAND: Seafarers are finding they are caught in a snag when it comes to booking space in the managed isolation and quarantine (MIQ) facilities and want change.

They are subject to the managed isolation allocation system like the vast majority of people coming across New Zealand’s borders. It is booked up until June.

But Nathan Schumacher and Geiri Petursson say the job of a seafarer, where they often have terrible internet access, and the overloaded system, means it is nearly ‘‘impossible’’ to book a space.

The pair wants a set allocation in managed isolation for seafarers and feel like noone is advocating for them.

They also point out New Zealand had signed on to the International Maritime Organisation protocol, which designates seafarers as essential workers.

However, this is not reflected in the Government’s policies and seafarers are treated like anyone else. Meanwhile, airline crews are exempt, for similar reasons.

Mr Petursson, who is on a vessel off the coast of Argentina, said getting a space was ‘‘impossible’’ because the system was not designed for people working in their positions.

Mr Petursson left New Zealand on November 19 last year, and said he would usually work two months before coming home for the same length of time.

Instead, he had made an agreement with his employer to work about six and ahalf months because of the pandemic. He is working 12 hours a day, seven days a week.

‘‘It’s testing to do that for six months.’’

He has a visa to enter Argentina when his work stint ends, where he will have to wait until he gets a spot in managed isolation.

Mr Petursson’s wife and children are in New Zealand and he thinks they would like to see him spend less than seven months away.

‘‘We’re often in very, very poor internet connections . . . we just can’t see how we can possibly get those vouchers,’’ he said.

Mr Petursson said also having an Argentina visa put him in a privileged position, but was concerned about New Zealanders who could find themselves docking and given only a 24hour transit visa before being expected to fly home.

He had a colleague who arrived in Myanmar over the weekend, where a coup began last week.

‘‘As of four days ago . . . he’s still being told [by the Government] his situation does not meet the criteria for an exemption from the voucher system.

‘‘I don’t know what needs to happen to meet that criteria.’’

Mr Schumacher’s situation is different. The offshore geotechnical engineer is still in New Zealand and actually missed a job because of Australia recently halting quarantinefree travel from New Zealand.

‘‘It was pretty much a blessing in disguise for me because I then would have been in the same situation,’’ Mr Schumacher said.

But if another job came up soon, he would likely go, ‘‘because I’ve got a mortgage to pay’’.

Mr Schumacher said he had set up an email account for stranded seafarers to contact him, and in the past 24 hours about 50 New Zealanders working overseas had been in touch about their struggles to book an MIQ spot.

‘‘It shouldn’t be part of their job that they know that if they leave for a twomonth stint it’s actually going to be six to eight months before they get home.’’

Mr Schumacher said New Zealand could also be in breach of the Maritime Labour Convention (MLC) 2006, which allows unhindered repatriation of seafarers to their country of residence.

Maritime Union of New Zealand spokesman Victor Billot said the union was working on a plan to help those finding it difficult to return to New Zealand.

It was meeting with the Government this week to discuss the issue and how it could assist seafarers get the best possible outcome.

A spokesman for MBIE, which controls the MIQ facilities, said seafarers whose overseas work contracts were ending and could not legally stay in the country of their final port of call could apply for an emergency allocation place on that basis.

These would be assessed on a ‘‘case by case’’ basis.

If internet was poor, or for any other accessibility reason, the spokesman said bookings and applications for an emergency allocation could be made by a third party, such as friends, family or an employer. — The New Zealand Herald

❛ It shouldn’t be part of

their job that they know that if they leave for a twomonth stint it’s actually going to be six to eight months before they get

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