AUSTRALIA’S cruise ship ban will come to an end on 17 Apr, with the government announcing the prior prohibition extension will be the last (CW breaking news yesterday). The date will mark 25 months since Australia banned the entry of international cruise vessels under the Biosecurity Act 2015, and confirms...
AUSTRALIA’S cruise ship ban will come to an end on 17 Apr, with the government announcing the prior prohibition extension will be the last (CW breaking news yesterday).
The date will mark 25 months since Australia banned the entry of international cruise vessels under the Biosecurity Act 2015, and confirms the news foreshadowed by Minister for Tourism Dan Tehan on Mon (CW 14 Mar).
Upon the resumption, additional measures will be in place to reduce the COVID-19 risk on board ships, including enhanced pre-arrival reporting; ensuring vessels always arrive with permission to unload passengers; stress testing of emergency response systems; and engaging with the cruise industry on a safe resumption.
Ships will also need to meet all state and territory public health requirements, with these jurisdictions to soon advise on their readiness to begin cruising.
Passengers will be required to be double-vaccinated, which opens the cruise industry up to almost 95% of Australians over the age of 16 who have had two doses.
Tehan said the resumption of cruising was an important milestone in the Australian travel industry’s recovery.
“This is great news for the cruise industry, tourism, the broader economy and the Australians who love to take a cruise holiday,” he said.
“The resumption of cruising is another key step forward in the tourism sector’s recovery from COVID-19.
“We look forward to welcoming cruise ships and passengers back to Australian waters.”
Minister for Home Affairs Karen Andrews said the Australian Border Force stands ready to welcome international pax and crews back to the country.
“The cruise ship industry plays an important role in our tourism sector and forms part of the Morrison Government’s plan to bolster our economic growth as we recover from the pandemic,” she enthused.
“I can’t wait to see our cruise terminals once again filled with arriving international passengers, getting this important industry ship-shape and back out on the water once more.
“In 2019, before the pandemic, Australia welcomed more than 600,000 cruise ship passengers across the border from almost 350 vessels.”
More on the ending of the cruise ship ban on pages two, three, and four.
