By
Alex Smith |
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new guidance for cruise ships to sail trial voyages with volunteer passengers as part of its Covid-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate application.
The guidance provides technical instructions for simulated voyages. These instructions include eligibility and requirements for conducting a voyage in preparation for restricted passenger voyages and guidance for inspections of cruise ships conducted by CDC during these voyages. The organisation has also provided operational procedures to assist operators in mitigating the spread of Covid-19, including requirements and recommendations on prevention measures, surveillance for Covid-19 onboard, laboratory testing and face mask use, among others.
The new documents are the latest step in CDC’s phased approach for the resumption of cruising from US ports, providing operators with the necessary information for phases 2B and 3. The final stage of the resumption, phase 4, will allow operators with an approved Covid-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate application to sail with passengers. CDC will update online documents to incorporate any changes to quarantine, testing, colour status and lessons learned from simulated voyages before moving to this phase.
CDC also recommends that all port personnel, passengers and crew get a Covid-19 vaccine when one becomes available to them.