[ad_1]
Some cruise companies have refused to accept rules that would allow tens of thousands of stranded crew members to return ashore, citing concerns about the cost and possible legal consequences, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) of USA USA The largest trade association for the cruise industry has called CDC’s landing requirements “impractical.”
The confrontation comes amid a deteriorating situation on many ships around the world and an increasing death toll from crew members.
More than 100,000 crew workers are still trapped on cruise ships worldwide, at least 50 of which have Covid-19 infections. This number includes about 80,000 crew members on 120 ships in international waters near the US. USA Waiting to disembark.
Some major cruise operators have blamed CDC for not allowing the trapped crew to leave the ships. But the health agency said “support[s] ready to approve these requests with same-day delivery in most cases, “and has urged staff to contact cruise ships about the landing.
The CDC confirmed that they had detected hundreds of cases of Covid-19 and Covid-like illnesses in the crew since March in US waters, resulting in the deaths of at least six crew members.
A Norwegian Gem doctor, operated by Norwegian Cruise Line, He died on board the ship from a “respiratory illness” on Thursday.
The Miami Herald obtained internal documents from Norwegian Cruise Line confirming the doctor’s death and assuring the crew on the ship that he had died in his sleep from “cardiac arrest,” but had no “Covid-19 symptoms.” The Herald reported that the cruise company did not respond to his questions. Norwegian Cruise Line also did not respond to The Guardian’s request for comment.
A third crew member at the Oasis of the Seas, currently off the Florida coast, died in hospital on Sunday. The death of Carlos Baluran, who worked the night shift in the ship’s incinerator, comes after the death of the waiter Dexter Joyosa and the Indonesian waiter Iputu Sugiartha in the last two weeks on the same ship.
In a statement, the CDC told The Guardian that it “is allowing crew members to disembark from cruises in US waters and return home if the cruise lines present a signed certificate stating that they have met the requirements to safely disembark your crew members. “
It said: “These requirements include ensuring safe transportation by non-commercial means, providing cloth covers to crew members or making sure they have their own, and providing instructions to crew members to stay home for 14 days afterward. that they reach their destination. “
“The CDC shared this information with all cruise lines in US waters. USA On April 23, 2020 to help crew members return home safely. Since then, the CDC has received and approved signed certifications to disembark the crew of 15 ships.
“Some cruise lines have been unwilling to meet the requirements to safely disembark their crew. Reasons include unwillingness to sign the certification due to legal consequences and not wanting to pay for non-commercial transportation. “
But the International Cruise Lines Association (CLIA), the largest trade association for the cruise industry, said some of the CDC’s requirements were “impractical.”
“Require employers to ensure that all employees outside the workplace will comply with all CDC requirements, including non-interaction with the public at all, with criminal penalties at stake, it is both unprecedented and impractical, “it said in a statement.
On Monday, the first wrongful death lawsuit was filed for a crew member on behalf of the family of an Indonesian housekeeper on the Symphony of the Seas, operated by Royal Caribbean. The lawsuit alleges that the company failed to protect staff by failing to implement social distancing measures on board by allowing the crew to host parties and eat together.
The company responded in a statement that it was working with authorities around the world to repatriate thousands of employees. He confirmed that he had accepted the CDC’s restrictions on repatriation of staff and said he declined to comment on pending litigation.
When asked what support he was providing to the crew following the three deaths at the Oasis of the Seas, he said: “We have our Employee Assistance Program that the crew can call 24 hours a day and is confidential.”
Carnival Cruise Line, which announced plans to restart operations in early August, said it would use 18 ships to repatriate more than 10,000 healthy crew to Asia, Africa, Europe, India and Latin America.
“The safety and well-being of our team members remain a top priority. Given the hiatus in our operations, we are committed to bringing our crew members home safely. We sincerely thank you for your hard work, patience, and understanding during this process, ”said Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line.
Along with more than 100,000 crew members, CLIA confirmed that 50 passengers remain at sea on five cruises: Celebrity Eclipse, Costa Deliziosa, Queen Mary 2, Caribbean Princess and Coral Princess, as of April 29. So far, CLIA has recorded 2,789 confirmed cases of Covid-19 aboard 33 CLIA ocean cruisers, but was unable to provide data related to the crew.
“It’s a shame it comes down to dollars and pennies,” said John Hickey, a Miami maritime attorney, who has represented both cruise companies and, more recently, cruise ship crew members.
A ship flying the flag of convenience means that the owner has registered the ship in a country other than their own. The ship flies the flag or the flag of that country, known as the flag state and operates under its laws, generally more lax than those of the owner.
For a boat owner, the advantage of this deal includes comparatively fewer regulations, lower employment requirements, and therefore cheaper labor, cheaper registration fees, and lower or no taxes.
For crew members, disadvantages tend to lower work standards, fewer rights, and little protection. The International Federation of Transport Workers opposes them.
Panama, which has the largest ship registry in the world, followed by Liberia, operates an “open registry”, which allows foreign owners to register ships under its flag. Guarantees anonymity to owners, making it difficult to hold them accountable.
The practice began in the 1920s in the USA. USA, when cruise ship owners registered their vessels in Panama so that they could serve alcohol to their passengers during Prohibition.
He said the situation the crews face is now rooted in the cruise industry’s avoidance of American governance. Despite the fact that the largest cruise lines are based in the US. USA And they serve a largely American clientele, avoid US labor laws. USA And other regulations when registering outside the US. USA
“These crew members are like refugees now. They are caught between a rock and a hard place, “he said. “Cruise lines think they can do what they want with these people and not treat them as human beings and not take them back to their homes.”
