Seafarers are on the front line in the global fight against Covid-19 and to support their efforts and protect their health, V.Group is rolling out Covid-19 testing kits to all its managed vessels.

Supplied through Oceanic Medical Solutions, more than 14,000 Rapid Test Kits, which detect the presence of Covid-19 antibodies from a blood sample, are scheduled to be distributed across the fleet by the end of the month with each vessel receiving 25 kits.

Matt Dunlop, Group Director HSEQ & Technical, said ““These kits will further extend our ability to test those on board our vessels if presenting with Covid-19 symptoms, and is a key addition to our commitment to test seafarers for Covid-19 in advance of joining a vessel as an additional safeguard for those already onboard.

“With our Physician Advisory Service provider, Future Care, having professional support during these challenging times should provide comfort to our masters and crew that we take their health and safety as our number one priority within V.Group.

“The rollout of these kits is fully in line with our commitment to safety and to ensure the protection of the seafarers and their families. There is increasing recognition that testing for Covid-19 will play a vital part of the global strategy to eradicate the virus.”