PASSENGER cruise ships currently sailing out of Australia have either returned or are en route back to port, under special arrangements confirmed by Australian Border Force Commissioner, Michael Outram. On the weekend Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a ban on cruise ship arrivals if vessels had visited foreign ports, but...
PASSENGER cruise ships currently sailing out of Australia have either returned or are en route back to port, under special arrangements confirmed by Australian Border Force Commissioner, Michael Outram.
On the weekend Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced a ban on cruise ship arrivals if vessels had visited foreign ports, but Outram has since clarified some exceptions are being made.
“Any vessel that was at sea when the announcement was made is allowed to return to Australia,” he said, confirming that dispensation was being given to states and territories to ensure nobody gets stranded at sea, “particularly Australians”.
“If there’s no sickness on board, the arrangements are that the vessel can come into port,” he confirmed, with incoming passengers given the same information about 14-day self-isolation as that provided to arriving airline passengers.
“And then Australians on board, they can get home and self-isolate…for international passengers, straight to the airport, straight home,” he added.
The clarification came amid a further escalation of COVID-19 measures announced by Morrison this morning, with the unprecedented imposition of a Level 4 “Do Not Travel” advisory on all international destinations.
The Government has also banned non-essential indoor gatherings of more than 100 people, and this morning warned that the stringent measures could be in place for up to six months.
The flexible approach being applied by the Australian Border Force is in contrast to some other countries around the world, which are currently denying entry to a number of cruise ships – more details on page two.
