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Esvagt Mercator isolated in Oostende following COVID-19 concerns

4C Offshore | Tom Russell
By: Tom Russell 13/03/2020 4C Offshore
The Esvagt Mercator Service Operations Vessel (SOV) was detained in Oostende earlier this week following concerns that personnel aboard the vessel had become infected with coronavirus (COVID-19). The vessel was quarantined, with nobody allowed on or off until the authorities gave the green light.

Esvagt has since provided an update on the status of the crew and the vessel. A spokesperson said: "The SOV ’Esvagt Mercator’ has been in the port of Oostende for 48 hours to ensure that everybody on board was safe and healthy after two people on board were found to be ill. After medical attendance, it was concluded that this was not due to Covid-19."

The vessel has been supporting MHI Vestas Offshore Wind with the maintenance of offshore wind turbines off the Belgian coast. It is responsible for the transfer of technicians at the
Nobelwind and Belwind projects, serving under a 10 year contract.

Earlier this week, coronavirus was labelled a pandemic (a global outbreak of disease) by the World Health Organisation. A number of companies in the offshore energy sector have already taken measures to prevent contamination such as suspending offshore flights and quarantining offshore personnel who have been tested positive. Office personnel in various countries have also been advised to self-isolate if they display symptoms and some companies have closed offices temporarily, following government advice.

A number of offshore wind events, including the Business Network for Offshore Wind's International Partnering Forum (IPF), have been delayed as a result of COVID-19. Originally scheduled to take place in April, IPF has been rescheduled to take place in August 2020. A virtual IPF conference will take place on 21-22 April to release time sensitive information relating to the U.S. offshore wind market. The Global Offshore Wind Summit in Taiwan which was expected to kick off next month has been pushed back until October.


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