Seychelles to welcome back cruise ships from November

Seychelles, an archipelago of 115 islands in the Indian Ocean, off East Africa, will be reopening its shores to cruise ships starting from November.

 

As per the decision taken by the country's authorities in March 2021 relating to the size of the vessels and limiting their carrying passenger capacity, Seychelles will only be welcoming smaller vessels with a maximum of 300 passengers, according to a statement from the authorities.

 

The Principal Secretary for Civil Aviation, Ports & Marine, Alan Renaud, said: "Throughout 2020, working in collaboration with the health authorities, tourism department, the port authority, and the tourism industry, the department has implemented new procedures for the safe resumption of cruise ship visits to Seychelles."

 

He said that to facilitate the restart of cruise ship operations, the Department of Civil Aviation, Ports & Marine has developed a Covid-19 company and cruise ship checklist for operators, and a parallel Covid-19 Port Management Plan for the authorities to be introduced next month. 

 

The complementary documents have been based on guidance published jointly by the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) and the European Centre for Disease Prevention Control (ECDC) and endorsed by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO), and adopt a goal-based approach, identifying measures to be taken on board ships and ashore to ensure safe operations.

 

Renaud said: "The documents outline the respective responsibilities of local agencies and the cruise ships in relation to Covid-19 matters, identification of critical resources and personnel, the passenger and terminal arrangements at all ports of call, the contingencies in case of a Covid-19 outbreak, the protection of communities visited by the ship, and, generally, the co-ordination between cruises and ports in relation to Covid-19."

 

Island Sky, operated by London-based Noble Caledonia, is a relatively small cruise ship with a carrying capacity of 118 passengers; a regular sight in the Seychelles waters prior to the pandemic. She will be calling at four of the Seychelles outer islands, namely Aldabra, Assomption, Farquhar and Cosmoledo. 

 

MS Island Sky will be followed by other small cruise ships throughout the season.

 

The Department of Civil Aviation, Ports & Marine will also be rolling out a maritime version of the present travel authorisation system, which will be adapted to cruise ships and yachts, serving simultaneously as a health protection system as well as an enhanced border control system for incoming vessels.

 

The maritime edition will be integrated with the ships' systems and make it a seamless, paperless, touchless process for both embarking and disembarking guests and the ships themselves.

 

Principal Secretary for Tourism Sherin Francis said: "The reopening of the cruise ship season is another milestone for our destination. I am happy that all relevant actors have ensured that due precautions have been taken to facilitate this exercise in a safe manner."

 

Seychelles is home to numerous beaches, coral reefs and nature reserves, as well as rare animals such as giant Aldabra tortoises.-TradeArabia News Service