26/03/2020
21st March 2020
Dear Colleagues, Clients and Business Partners,
As we are all aware, the worldwide spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19), has created an unprecedented
situation, which is constantly evolving and changing. We are all having to adapt, come to terms and mitigate
the developments as they occur and the full impact of the virus spread in regions and locales around the world
becomes clear.
We would like you to know how we, at the EDT Group, have reacted and continue to deal with the effect of
the virus spread on our business and employees, both at sea and ashore, in order to re-assure you that we are
taking every precaution possible.
A Senior Management Team has been established which is responsible for monitoring the spread and effect
of the virus upon our spheres of operation. This team is in constant contact and are evaluating the measures
that have been put in place to minimise the possible effect of the virus upon our organisation.
The absolute primary goal of this team is to protect the health and welfare of all our workforce, clients,
suppliers and business partners who have any contact with the EDT organisation world-wide.
We have:
• Put in place strict medical screening processes to ensure all visitors to both EDT shore-based facilities
and ships do not spread the virus amongst our workforce.
• Drawn up contingency plans for both shore offices and ships to deal with any suspected cases of the
Coronavirus, which include providing regulated quarantine facilities and measures to protect both
infected and non-infected personnel.
• Provided specific informative material to all our personnel, again at sea and ashore, regarding how to
prevent the spread of infection through effective hygiene, symptoms to look out for and notification
systems should symptoms occur.
• Assessed our workforce to understand who may fall into “High-Risk” categories due to age, underlying
physical conditions or if they have young children. Any such persons have been informed to remain
away from the workplace.
• Put in place a work at home system for all office employees, unless in “critical” operational positions.
• Cancelled shore leave from our ships to reduce the risk of our seafarers becoming infected.
• Increased security, both ashore and onboard to prevent unannounced visitors, who may be carrying
the virus.
We are, of course, complying strictly with the advice provided by the World Health Organisation, Government
and industry bodies to ensure that we prevent the virus spreading within our workplaces.
Whilst, as stated, our primary goal is the health of personnel, of huge importance to us is also the support of
our clients’ and customers’ business. We can clearly state that the EDT Group remains fully operational in all
respects. The plans and procedures we have put in place, are specifically designed to ensure that our normal
level of support and response continues. Our clients and customers should see no change in the way that we
communicate or provide the rapid service and response that EDT is well known for. Our ships remain fully
operational, as do our offices.
The thoughts and wishes of our entire team goes out to all the people of the world who have been affected
by the spread of the Coronavirus. We are living through an unprecedented event in recent world history, but
we know, as is the EDT way, that working together and dealing with the developing situation in a calm, clear
and practical way, will help us weather this storm and ensure that our people and business remain strong to
support our clients, as they too deal with the impact of the virus.
Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns
EDT Senior Management