They are the forgotten collateral damage of the coronavirus pandemic. More than 300,000 commercial ship workers, the lifeblood of global commerce, are now stranded on vessels because virus control measures and travel restrictions have prevented crew rotations. Some have been on board for 17 months, well past their contract terms and an 11-month legal maximum, barred not just from rejoining families but from getting ashore for recreation or even medical care. A similar number are at home without pay, unable to get to work. This is not just a humanitarian issue. Exhausted crews mean an increased risk of accidents that could harm people or the environment or threaten global supply chains.
他們是新冠大流行中被遺忘的附帶受害者。30多萬名商船工人——他們是全球商業的生命線——現在被困在船上，原因是爲遏制新冠病毒採取的控制措施和旅行限制阻止了船員輪班。有些人已經在船上呆了17個月，遠遠超過了他們的合同條款和11個月的法定最長期限，他們不僅被禁止與家人團聚，還被禁止上岸娛樂甚至就醫。還有同樣多的船員沒有報酬地留在家中，無法上崗。這不僅是一個人道主義問題。疲憊的船員意味著事故風險的增加，這些事故可能會危害人類或環境，或威脅到全球供應鏈。