Expect marine workers to get loud this week as part of a worldwide effort to urge governments to vaccinate crews aboard ships.
The blare of ship horns will ring out at noon on Friday, the Day of the Seafarer, to draw attention to the plight of the crews.
Throughout the pandemic, ships have been used to deliver essential PPE and medicines across Canada, as well as transporting goods to keep the economy moving.
The Chamber of Marine Commerce, the Chamber of Shipping, the Shipping Federation of Canada, the Association of Canadian Port Authorities, The St. Lawrence Economic Development Council, and the International Ship-owners Alliance of Canada are joining the call to step up COVID-19 vaccination efforts in the marine industry.
Some international seafarers have been unable to access vaccines in most Canadian ports.
Even Canadians working aboard ships have a hard time getting vaccinated as laws require a certain number of crew members to remain on board at all times, making it difficult to schedule vaccine appointments.
In some American ports, nurses have boarded ships or set up port vaccination clinics to help with the effort.
The organizations are urging the Canadian government to do the same and ensure that international crew members can also get vaccinated at Canadian ports.