The Fremantle Shipping News is advised by Fremantle Ports as follows.
’The Australian Government yesterday announced that international cruise ship operations would cease for 30 days, with this to be reviewed after that time.
The instruction is that from 0001 AEDST 16 March 2020, Australia will deny entry to any cruise ship that has left a foreign port, with the exception of:
- Australian-flagged vessels
- international cruise ships en-route having departed their last overseas port and destined for Australia
- Australian cruise vessels (domestic cruise ships) operating within the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone (they can continue to operate without restriction)
- Round Trip Cruises that are already in progress and currently returning to Australia.
Fremantle Ports is complying with this instruction and working with Federal authorities to bring everyone currently on a cruise safely back to port and on to their home destinations either in Australia or overseas.
There have been a number of cruise ships in the Inner Harbour in the past few days that comply with the new requirements and have called at Fremantle to terminate cruises and disembark passengers.
A number of additional ships will be calling Fremantle for the same reasons in coming days.
The vessels are cleared by relevant authorities before they enter the port and will not be allowed in the port unless they comply with necessary requirements. The vessels have been undertaking domestic cruising within Australia and have not arrived directly from overseas ports.’
So there you are.
We are effectively on ‘gardening leave, literally and figuratively it seems.
