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Coast Guard oversees disembarkation of 250,000 people from cruise ships to reduce risks under COVID-19 emergency, medevac’d 31

Coast Guard Station Ft. Lauderdale escorts cruise ship
A Coast Guard Station Ft. Lauderdale boat crew escorts the cruise ship Zaandam to Port Everglades April 2, 2020. The Coast Guard has been assisting in escorting cruise ships and cruise ship tenders in and out of the Ports of Miami and Everglades. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Charly Hengen)

The cruise ships Zaandam and Rotterdam offloaded more than 1,200 passengers in Port Everglades, Fla. These developments, combined with one remaining disembarkation being coordinated, represents the processing of more than 120 vessels in the last three weeks to remove 250,000 passengers from cruise ships due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Coast Guard medevacs Grand Princess passenger
EMS crew transport a Grand Princess passenger in her mid-70s from the Coast Guard Cutter Tern at Coast Guard Sector San Francisco, March 7, 2020. The Cutter Tern was dispatched to transport a passenger with a medical condition not related to COVID-19 and her husband to awaiting EMS and CDC personnel Saturday morning. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Taylor Bacon)

The Coast Guard, under guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and working with Department of Homeland Security partners Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), as well as state and local entities from multiple port jurisdictions, facilitated the safe landing, screening, quarantine and repatriation of these passengers in a manner that has prevented further spread of the COVID-19 virus. Many passengers were brought to safe harbor in the United States when international ports refused entry.

Most of the cruise line industry announced a voluntarily suspension of cruise ship operations from U.S. ports of call on March 13th, and the CDC issued a “No Sail” Order on March 14th to all cruise ships that had not voluntarily suspended operations.

Coast Guard Station Miami Beach escorts cruise ship tender
A Coast Guard Station Miami Beach boat crew escorts the cruise ship Costa Favolosa cruise ship tender to shore March 30, 2020. The Coast Guard has been assisting in escorting cruise ships and cruise ship tenders in and out of the Ports of Miami and Everglades. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Charly Hengen)

However, pausing a global tourist industry does not happen instantaneously or easily,” said Vice Admiral Dan Abel, Coast Guard Deputy Commandant for Operations. “The Federal, state, local and industry cooperation to achieve this feat truly represents the whole-of-nation approach directed by the President and is essential to fighting the spread of this virus and working to minimize the loss of life.”

The drawdown of passenger operations is a major milestone, but it does not eliminate U.S. government concerns for cruise ships and their crews.

Today, there are 114 cruise ships, carrying 93,000 crew members, either in or near U.S. ports and waters. This includes 73 cruise ships, with 52,000 crew members, moored or anchored in U.S. ports and anchorages. Another 41 cruise ships, with 41,000 crew members, are underway and still in vicinity of the United States. The cruise industry has an ongoing obligation for the care, safety and welfare of their seafarers.

The Coast Guard is a lifesaving service, and since March 7th, when COVID-19 cases on cruise ships operating around the U.S. escalated, the service has enabled 31 life-saving medevacs.

 


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