Coronavirus: German-owned cruise ship Artania refuses demands to leave WA

The commonwealth and WA governments are attempting to resolve a standoff over the refusal of the cruise ship Artania to leave Fremantle.

The commonwealth and West Australian governments are attempting to resolve a standoff over the refusal of the cruise ship Artania to leave Fremantle, amid fears a significant number of the 450 crew on board may be infected with COVID-19.

The German-owned ship has defied an order to leave Fremantle port, and has instead asked the Australian Border Force to remain until April 15.

Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who is in charge of the Australian Border Force, has been asked by Premier Mark McGowan to “step up” and deal with the ship.

A clearly exasperated Mr McGowan said one option was for federal authorities to take over the ship and move it out of Fremantle: “The only problem with that is the ship may well turn around and come back in.”

He said Christmas Island could be a “very reasonable” alternative location for the Artania to dock.

A passenger wears a mask on the MV Artania, which was supposed to leave Fremantle today. Picture: Colin Murty/The Australian

“I’d urge the ABF and federal government to take steps to get the ship away. It has to go back to Germany. I suspect most of the crew want to go back to Germany.

“So I think the federal government needs to step up here. If the ship needs to be cleaned, well clean it and then get it on its way.”

He said the ship had not disclosed that 12 unwell passengers remained on board Artania, after 850 passengers were offloaded and sent home to Germany on charter flights on Sunday.

The 12 individuals are understood to have conditions that made them medically unfit to travel by air but not necessarily because of coronavirus.

A spokesperson from the Department of Home Affairs confirmed the 12 passengers would disembark from the vessel. “The commonwealth is continuing to work with the WA state government to ensure that Artania has the ability to depart Australian ­waters as soon as reasonably practicable,” the spokesperson said.

The ship arrived in Fremantle on March 25 and later sought medical assistance for passengers and crew with respiratory illness — over several days 41 people were transferred from Artania to Perth hospitals. The majority have tested positive for COVID-19, including 13 crew, and several are in critical condition in intensive care. None of the passengers or crew from the vessel is Australian.

The ship has repeatedly delayed its departure, despite the WA government and ABF ordering it to leave. State health authorities fear a prolonged delay could see more COVID-19 cases emerge from the ship, putting pressure on local hospitals and filling ICU beds. WA had just 127 ICU beds last week and about 300 ventilators. The McGowan government has been scrambling to get more.

As WA medics boarded the ship to assess the ill on Wednesday, the state’s Chief Health Officer, Andrew Robertson, said he expected some of the hundreds on board could have coronavirus. “If positive, they will also come off ship. There are likely to be some cases on board.”

Late on Wednesday, ambulances and buses arrived at the port for what appeared to be the transfer of several people to hospital.

Health Minister Roger Cook said it was disappointing the Artania had not come clean about why 12 passengers were left on the ship.

Attorney-General Christian Porter confirmed 12 passengers were too unwell or frail to fly home, and the ship required more time in port on humanitarian grounds. “I would urge the federal government to resolve the situation as soon as possible,” Mr McGowan said.

Crew still on board the MV Artania which remains firmly docked at Fremantle. Picture: Colin Murty/The Australian