Two more vessels arrived at the Port of Cape Town this month, bringing home South Africans who have been away from home throughout the lockdown. More ships are scheduled to reach the Mother City’s shores in coming days, bringing locals back to their families.
“The South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) can confirm the arrival of two passenger vessels at the Port of Cape Town. The vessels, The Crown Princess and the Island princess arrived on the 16th of May 2020 on a scheduled stop,” said SAMSA
The Crown Princess brought 2139 crew members, of which 30 are South African. The Crown Princess is used by the owners to repatriate crews stranded aboard their vessels and is due to proceed to other international ports in order to disembark other crew members.
The vessel disembarked SA crew and SA medical team while in Cape Town, who have been on-board the vessel for some time and required to be relieved by a fresh crew. All South African Crew disembarked and special permission was granted for a fresh medical team to embark to allow for the vessel to meet safe manning requirements before it can proceed to another port.
The disembarked crew was subjected to the local COVID-19 regulations and will quarantine for 14 days before they can proceed to join their families. The vessel also took bunkers and supplies, before it sailed on May 16, 2020.
The Island Princess also arrived in Cape Town on the May 16, 2020 with 1416 crew, of which 62 are South African. The vessel will disembark the South African crew before leaving Cape Town.
SAMSA has confirmed that a number of additional vessels are expected to reach South African ports over the next few weeks:
1. ROTTERDAM estimated to arrive on the May 18, 2020 at the Port of Cape Town. The vessel has 800 crew on board, 12 of which are South African
2. MS Le Bougainville estimated to arrive on May, 19 2020 at the Port of Richard’s Bay to replenish stores and take bunkers
3. ZUIDERDAM estimated to arrive on May 20, 2020 at the Port of Cape Town. We have no information yet on the crew numbers
4. VEENDAM estimated to arrive on May 23, 2020, Port of Cape Town. The vessel has 626 crew, 49 of which are South African
5. CARNIVAL DREAM estimated to arrive on May 25, 2020 at the Port of Port Elizabeth. We have no information yet on the crew numbers
6. CARNIVAL LIBERTY estimated to arrive on May 25, 2020 at the Port of Port Elizabeth. The vessel has 1601 crew, 4 of which are South African
7. CARNIVAL ECSTACY estimated to arrive on May 25, 2020 at the Port of Port Elizabeth. We have no information on the crew numbers yet
8. CARNIVAL CONQUEST estimated to arrive on May 25, 2020 at the Port of Port Elizabeth. We have no information yet on the crew numbers.
9. CARNIVAL FASCINATION estimated to arrive on May 27, 2020 at the Port of Durban. We have no information yet on the crew numbers.
“SAMSA continues to work with the department of Transport, other government departments and government agencies to ensure that all regulations relating COVID-19 are enforced and followed by the maritime industry. These regulations, among others prohibit cruise liner calls into any of the South African Ports, any crew changes, any disembarkations apart from returning South African citizens or permanent residents,” adds SAMSA.
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Picture: Facebook/ Princess Cruises