On March 6, the Ministry of Transport maritime bureau issued guidelines, during the period of new crown pneumonia epidemic prevention and control, holding a valid seaman's book is less than 6 months in the ship crew, seaman's book, can remote hosting solution caused by affected by foreign ports outbreak controls part of the ship crew held seaman's book near expiration, support the new crown pneumonia epidemic prevention and control during the return to work and production enterprises, protect the lawful rights and interests of the seafarers.
　　According to the regulations, Chinese citizens who enter or leave the country as seafarers or engage in work on foreign ships shall hold seafarers' certificates. Once the seafarers' certificates expire, it will seriously affect their entry and exit and work on the ship. Most countries in the world require an entry seafarer to hold a seafarer's certificate for at least six months.
　　To simplify procedures and facilitate seafarers, the guidelines specify that during the affected period, when seafarers remotely apply for seafarers' certificates, they only need to provide electronic photos and handwritten signatures, and other information collected is exempted from submission. Where the conditions for issue are met, the seafarer's book issuing authority shall issue a seafarer's book valid for one year.
　　At present, nearly 80,000 seamen in China are working on international ships, according to the maritime safety administration of the ministry of transport. The move will address the concerns of 6,000 seafarers whose seafarers' certificates have expired in the next three months or are less than six months old, and ensure the smooth entry and exit of our seafarers.
　　The following is the full text of "guide for handling seafarers' papers during the prevention and control of new crown pneumonia" :
　　Crew members, my friends, is to support the new crown epidemic prevention and control of SARS period to return to work and production enterprises, solve part caused by affected by foreign port disease control measures in the ship crew held seaman's book near expiration, our bureau formulated the guidelines on the ship crew seaman's book, please pay attention.
　　Maritime safety administration of the People's Republic of China
　　March 6, 2020
　　New crown pneumonia epidemic prevention and control during the ship crew seaman certificate handling guidelines
　　I. relevant instructions
　　Seafarers holding seafarers' certificates valid for less than 6 months during the epidemic prevention and control period may apply for seafarers' certificates remotely.
　　Two, the handling method
　　The seafarer's company or seafarer's agency to which the seafarer belongs shall act on behalf of the seafarer to the seafarer's book issuing authority to which the seafarer's business belongs.
　　Iii. Materials required
　　(1) the electronic photograph is 330 pixels (28 mm) wide and 437 pixels (37 mm) high, the height of the electronic hand-signed photograph is not less than 80 pixels high and the width is not more than 37 mm, and it is stored in JPEG format. Other information collection items are exempted from submission;
　　(2) the applicant unit shall submit a written commitment stating that the seafarers meet the requirements of the application, and that the applicant unit shall be responsible for retrieving the seamen's book and going through the procedures of cancellation.
　　Issue of seamen's papers
　　The seafarer's book issuing authority shall issue a seafarer's book valid for one year if it meets the conditions for issue.
　　Five, points for attention
　　(1) the holder of the one-year seaman's certificate issued during the epidemic prevention and control period shall, within ten working days after his return to China, be recovered by the applicant unit and go through the procedures of cancellation with the seaman's certificate issuing authority.
　　(2) except for the seafarers on board who hold seafarers' certificates valid for less than 6 months during the epidemic prevention and control period, other personnel who apply for seafarers' certificates shall still apply for seafarers' certificates in accordance with the implementation measures of > for the administration of seafarers' certificates of the People's Republic of China (seafarers no. [2019] 434).