OOCL, with our commitment to provide quality services to customers, is taking every precautionary measure against the risk of SARS infection at offices and aboard our vessels. We have also formulated and implemented contingency plans to ensure that our services will not be interrupted in case of SARS infection at our offices or vessels.
Customer Service
To reduce the risk of suspension of service due to SARS infection, in affected areas such as Hong Kong, we have assigned employees of key functions to work in teams at different office suites. We have also planned for key functions to be taken up by other service centers. Supported by our IT platform and system capabilities, majority of our employees are able to access our fully secured systems and work at home, if necessary, to provide uninterrupted services.
People and Offices
We have taken extra precautions and efforts, both internal and external, to maintain our workplace safe and hygienic, especially in the affected countries. As part of the precautionary measures to ensure that SARS will not be spread within OOCL offices, our employee will be required to stay at home for at least seven days should his or her family member or close contact is infected by SARS. External parties such as major vendors and contractors are requested to keep us informed of any cases of infection or suspected infection in their companies.
Systems
We have comprehensive contingency plans in place to ensure the availability of human resources as well as the accessibility of hardware under the worst scenarios. Since our computer center in Hong Kong is the heart of our system operations, we have arranged some of our computer operators and technical support teams to work at an alternative site. In case of any system disaster, we can immediately activate our Disaster Recovery site hosted at the operations center of Hewlett Packard. With our online systems, we will be able to provide uninterrupted services, even under contingency situations.
Container Shipments
According to a report by the World Health Organisation, goods, products or animals arriving from SAR-affected areas does not pose a risk to public health: www.who.int/csr/sars/goods2003_04_10/en/.
At present, no port health authorities in any ports have specified SARS as a cause for quarantine control for cargo, neither have any ports implemented any additional or ad hoc documentation or reporting procedures for cargo in relation to SARS.
Vessels
Similar precautionary measures at shore are extended to our vessels. Apart from ensuring that our vessels are clean and hygienic and all crew members are on high alert, change of crew member abroad our vessels will be suspended for the time being. In case of any crew member is infected by SARS, we have a full team of stand-by crew to take over, after immediate and thorough disinfection of the concerned vessel. All crew members from infected areas are required to declare their health conditions before confirmation of assignment and boarding the vessels.
OOCL will continue to monitor the situation closely and update our precautionary and contingency measures whenever necessary. For more information and latest developments of SARS, please refer to the following websites:
www.who.int/csr/sars/en/ (WHO - SARS information)
www.who.int/csr/sars/sarsfaq/en/ (WHO - Frequently asked questions)
www.cdc.gov/ncidod/sars/ (Center of Disease Control (CDC) -SARS information)
www.stc.tid.gov.hk/english/circular_pub/stc3_03.html (Department of Health of HKSAR Government - SARS information)
Orient Overseas Container Line Ltd. (OOCL) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Hong Kong Stock Exchange listed Orient Overseas (International) Ltd. OOCL is an international container transportation and logistics service provider headquartered in Hong Kong. Linking Asia, Europe, North America, the Mediterranean, the Indian sub-continent, the Middle East and Australia/New Zealand, the company offers transportation services to all major east/west trading economies of the world. OOCL is one of the leading international carriers serving China, providing a full range of logistics and transportation services throughout the country. It is also an industry leader in the use of information technology and e-commerce to manage the entire cargo process. Website: www.oocl.com
