Coronavirus cruise ship crisis: a tale of two states

Queensland has allowed 77 cruise ships into its waters since late January, but has not recorded a single case of COVID-19 from those ships. Why?

The Ruby Princess cruise ship, a major source of coronavirus infection and death in Australia, leaves NSW waters on Friday. Picture: Simon Bullard

Queensland has allowed 77 cruise ships into its waters since late January, but has not recorded any COVID-19 cases from those ships.

Unlike NSW, which allowed the Ruby Princess cruise ship to dock and passengers to disembark – hundreds of which have since been diagnosed with coronavirus – Queensland has had strict rules in place since January 31.

In an industry briefing document by Maritime Safety Queensland general manager Angus Mitchell, Mr Mitchell reveals that only four of the 77 ships reported having crew or passengers with possible coronavirus symptoms.

“These vessels underwent health clearance before being allowed entry. To date there have been no known or reported cases of COVID-19 entering Queensland through cruise ships,” Mr Mitchell said.

Of Queensland’s 873 cases, at least 74 originated on the Ruby Princess, which docked in Sydney’s Circular Quay on March 19. Another 25 were from the Ovation of the Seas. Three of the four Queenslanders who have died from the virus were cruise passengers.

All vessels that enter QLD waters are asked mandatory questions, including whether they had departed mainland China in the past 14 days, or a port outside of Australian waters after 15 March, or had crew on board who had visited a foreign port, or had crew or passengers experiencing symptoms.

Any vessel that answers yes to those questions are either placed in quarantine or subject to health testing before being allowed to enter a Queensland port.

On Thursday, cruise ship Azamara Journey departed the Port of Brisbane’s Fisherman Island grain berth, after loading essential stores and fuel. Three Australian crew members were allowed to disembark, and have started 14 days in isolation.

The Sea Princess is at the Pinkenba berth of the Port of Brisbane and is being loaded with fuel and stores; it is not carrying any passengers and no crew will disembark.

The Pacific Dawn is offshore of Mooloolaba, on the Sunshine Coast, waiting clearance to enter the port. The Queen Elizabeth is at anchor off Gladstone, in central Queensland, and the Carnival Spirit yesterday unloaded a Queensland surveyor – at a location offshore of Mooloolaba – so that resident could start 14 days’ isolation.

The movements come as Port of Brisbane chief executive Roy Cummins called for Australian authorities to show humanity to the stricken cruise ships.

“Forcing cruise vessels, with hundreds of at-risk crew, to sail for weeks to ports across the globe could lead to medical emergencies on-board that can’t be treated in the middle of the ocean,” Mr Cummins said.

“As an island nation, we have deep sea anchorage sites away from the populated areas where cruise vessels could anchor for the duration of this crisis. They could provision/refuel as required at the closest ports, following all necessary Border Force and Health Department advice, and then return to their anchorage. Importantly, if crew members need urgent and specialised medical assistance they could access it.”

“There has been enough misery already. Demonising a whole industry…achieves nothing.”

Mr Mitchell said Maritime Safety Queensland was “aware a number of cruise ships are looking for more long-term arrangements to lay-up in the current pandemic”.