Competitors in the cruise industry Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings (NASDAQ: NCLH) and Royal Caribbean (NYSE: RCL) They have formed a panel of health and safety experts to create a workforce to operate safely once the companies resume operations. Industry trade group Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) announced last month that the industry voluntarily agreed to postpone the restart of cruise operations from US ports until at least mid-September 2020.
The companies say they have established the “Healthy Navigation Panel,” co-chaired by former Commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Dr. Scott Gottlieb, and former Utah Governor and Secretary of Health. and Human Services Mike Leavitt.
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The panel has been working for a month and plans to issue initial recommendations by the end of August, cruise lines said. It is tasked with “collaboratively developing recommendations for cruise lines to advance their public health response to COVID-19, improve security and achieve readiness for the safe resumption of operations,” Norwegian said in a statement. The companies said the panel’s results will be shared with the rest of the industry and with regulators.
The panel is made up of experts in “public health, infectious diseases, biosecurity, hospitality, and maritime operations.” Other members include former FDA chief scientist Dr. Stephen Ostroff, Merck (NYSE: MRK) Director of Patients, Dr. Julie Gerberding, Norwegian EVP for ship operations Robin Lindsay, and other academic and public health experts.
The goal of bringing the leading expert group together is “to develop best practices that can improve safety and provide a roadmap to reduce the risks of COVID-19,” said Dr. Gottlieb.
