Maritime Charity Issues Coronavirus Guidance for its Ship Visitors

Media have reported the detention of thousands of passengers and crew on the cruise ship, the Costa Smeralda, the fifth largest cruise ship in the world in the port of Civitavecchia, near Rome, following a suspected coronavirus case.

The virus has also been affecting seafarers on other vessels with six seafarers on a container ship falling ill during a voyage from China to Egypt, 2 days ago, raising concerns they have been affected too. A seafarer who arrived in Singapore from Wuhan on 20 January while not showing any symptom during his flight has been quarantined in a hospital, having been diagnosed with the virus, according to media, the ship he was working on is at anchorage is required to be disinfected.

Stella Maris is the largest ship welfare organisation in the world, each year visiting over 70,000 ships. CEO Martin Foley said, ‘the global nature of shipping means that any infectious disease is a risk for seafarers as they travel, we continue to visit ships and support seafarers but are making sure our teams are aware of this latest outbreak.’ 

John Green, Director of Development said, ‘As well as advice for our ship visitors we will also be issuing guidance to seafarers in our Stella Maris magazine, which is distributed globally’.