Dear Sailors,
We’re writing to encourage you and your crew to apply early for your Bermuda Mariner’s Travel Authorization (MTA)— ideally no later than tomorrow, June 10th. If you start this process now it will ensure any issues such as illegible vaccination records are identified and can be corrected in time for you to complete the process and be able to approach Bermuda Immigration in Newport for pre-clearance next week.
Please be aware that up to two business days should be expected for the initial application to be processed.
Apply here: https://www.gov.bm/mariners-travel-authorisation.
- When you start the process, you will be asked to “Please select your estimated date of arrival to Bermuda.” It is important that this is not June 17th as that would be the same day the race actually begins. This is an estimated date – so any time after the 17th and prior to the 25th is acceptable.
- In the Section titled “Trip Details” of the form, please ensure that you select:
- “Newport to Bermuda Yacht Race June 2022” in the Purpose of Entry field
- “Pleasure craft/Yacht” in the Arrival mode field
- Your Vessel Name (i.e., the yacht you are racing on) in the Vessel name/number Field
- “June 17th, 2022” in the Departure date from last port to Bermuda field
- After you have submitted the completed form (including attaching your vaccination certificate and making payment), you will receive an automated receipt email from the Bermuda Government. This email will include a link that you will use to upload your pre-departure test results once they are available.
- After your form has been processed and assuming all the details are correct (and vaccination information is confirmed), you will be emailed a form that is titled “Acknowledge and sign Waiver”. Please enter your initials in the “Waiver Initials” box and hit continue. This process takes approximately 24-48 hours to complete so we encourage competitors to get this information submitted ASAP.
- At this point you will be issued a “Provisional Waiver for Mariners” MTA (sometimes referred to as a Provisional Green MTA). Please download a copy of this form for your records.
- Upon receipt of your pre departure test results, please upload them as soon as possible using the link provided in your initial receipt document to allow them to be processed. Once the process is complete, you will be issued a “Green” MTA. This process should take no more than a couple of hours assuming the results are legible and follow the Bermuda Government requirements for pre-departure testing. (https://www.gov.bm/covid-19-tests-accepted-bermuda)
- For the avoidance of doubt, you may pre-clear Bermuda Immigration in Newport with either a
- Green MTA, or
- a Provisional Green MTA with your pre departure test results. Please note that you still are required to submit your test results to the Bermuda Government MTA process – this is simply a courtesy to ensure that no one is held up if they have not received their Green MTA.
For any issues or queries, please contact Bermuda’s COVID hotline at +1 (441) 444-2498 or on Toll Free Number (1-833-570-2594) or via email at TAapprovals@gov.bm
Clarification on PCR Tests
We have had questions recently about PCR and antigen COVID-19 pre-departure tests and want to confirm that both are acceptable as described in Competitor Bulletin #13 and on our COVID-19 Protocols page.
Sheeting of headsails or spinnakers to the main boom
NOR 4.14 invokes and applies ORR 10.05(f) and (g). The ORR Technical Committee has issued a clarification of ORR 10.05(f) with regard to the sheeting of headsails and spinnakers to the main boom. This interpretation applies to the 2022 Newport Bermuda Race.
The ORR Technical Committee has interpreted ORR 10.05(f) as follows: The wording of the second sentence of ORR 10.05(f) does not prevent the sheeting of headsails or spinnakers to the main boom at any time, provided it is done in compliance with ORR 9.10.2.
Warm regards,
Somers Kempe, Chairman
2022 Bermuda Race Organizing Committee
