MIAMI – The United States this Tuesday authorized the cruise industry to carry out simulated trips with volunteer passengers as a way to expedite a possible reactivation of this industry by mid-July from the country’s ports.
According to the health authorities, if shipping companies can guarantee that the vast majority of crew members (98%) and passengers (95%) are vaccinated, it is possible that can restart for that date, after paralysis of more than one year.
For now, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) today updated the Conditions for Boating Ordinance (CSO), issued by the federal entity last October, and that provides technical instructions to carry out the simulated trips.
Among the instructions are the procedures to help the or cruise ship operators to mitigate the risk of the spread of covid – 19, according to a statement from the CDC.
Requirements and recommendations on prevention measures, covid surveillance are included – 19 on board, laboratory tests, infection prevention and control, use of masks, social distancing, interaction with passengers, as well as embarkation and disembarkation experiences and procedures.
With the issuance of this updated guide, cruise operators now have all the requirements and recommendations necessary to initiate simulated trips before resuming restricted passenger trips, noted the CDC.
In addition, this new version includes the request for the navigation certificate, conditional on the CSO, which is the final step before starting the trips with passengers.
The CDC will update online documents to incorporate quarantine changes and lessons learned from simulated trips, among other things to follow.
Cruise trips are expected to resume in July
The CDC communicated last Thursday to the shipping companies in a letter that will allow them to ignore the test trip for those ships that have mostly vaccinated the crew and passengers.
The shipping industry was therefore confident in a possible resumption in July Cruises from US ports, suspended since March 2020 due to covid – 19, after the health authorities of this country announced a relaxation of the framework to return to sailing.
From On 12 last April, the CDC and “senior executives of other relevant federal agencies” participated in meetings twice a week with represent Before several cruise lines, the statement details.
The objectives of these meetings, he adds, have been to establish a dialogue and exchange information on the impact of vaccines and other scientific advances since the CSO was issued.
At least two ships of the Royal Caribbean shipping company have made stops in Miami to vaccinate members of their crew, announced this Tuesday the company.
“It will be extremely important that our crew is vaccinated,” he admitted in a post on Facebook Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International.
Last March the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), which represents 95% of companies with ocean cruises, urged the CDC to lift the restriction and allow planning for a gradual resumption of cruise operations starting next July.
CLIA noted that July is “in line” with President Joe Biden’s forecast of when the United States will be “closer to normal.”
In early April, the CDC updated the measures governing the pandemic for cruises from US ports, but they maintained the recommendation to the population not to embark for pleasure.
According to CLIA, between March and September of 2020 these companies presented global losses of $ 77, 000 million dollars, $ 23, 000 million dollars in wages and 518, 000 jobs.
Only in Miami County- Dade, cruise activity produces about $ 7, 000 million dollars a year and employs, directly and indirectly, to some 40, 000 person as, in addition to supporting other sectors of the economy.