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Order for P&O ship to leave Australia outrages Sture MyrmellOrder for P&O ship to leave Australia outrages Sture Myrmell

Carnival Australia President Sture Myrmell said an order by NSW Police for P&O Cruises Australia’s Pacific Explorer to leave the country is ‘unprecedented for the cruise line to be treated this way, given its Australian origins.’

Helen Hutcheon, Australasia correspondent

April 2, 2020

1 Min Read
Credit: Seatrade Cruise News

Profound disappointment

Myrmell expressed ‘profound disappointment’ at the move, saying P&O had been cruising from Australia for 88 years, supporting thousands of jobs as well as the economic life of the state and regional communities.

‘P&O ships have been the backbone of cruising in Australia,’ he said.

No illness on board

‘There is no illness on Pacific Explorer, no passenger or crew member has been tested positive for COVID-19. Yet the NSW Police has instructed Pacific Explorer to leave Sydney Harbour, the ship’s homeport.’

NSW Police standoff

NSW Police are in a standoff with foreign cruise ships, urging them to proceed immediately to their homeports rather than risk flooding NSW hospitals with COVID-19 patients.

Eight cruise ships carrying about 8,500 crew

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said there are eight cruise ships off NSW, carrying about 8,500 crew members.

In an attempt to ease the stalemate, Fuller said helicopters will be used to fly doctors on board to treat any crew members unwell and in need of urgent coronavirus treatment.

‘If the crew is fit and healthy, I have no hesitation in asking Minister Dutton (Peter Dutton, the minister for Home Affairs) to enforce the orders for them to leave our shores,’ he said.

 

About the Author

Helen Hutcheon

Australasia correspondent

Helen Hutcheon did her cadetship on a shipping magazine and worked in P&O’s Sydney office for seven years as a public relations journalist.

For 19 years she was deputy editor of Travel Week, which was Australia’s leading trade newspaper that covered major local and international industry events.

In 2008 the late legendary Rama Rebbapragada presented her with an award from Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd ‘in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the cruising industry.’

In 2010 she won the Neil Frazer Award for ‘outstanding contribution to the cruise industry,’ elevating her to CLIA Australasia’s hall of fame.

She has been the Australasia correspondent for Seatrade Cruise Review since 1997 and for Seatrade Insider (now Seatrade Cruise News) since its launch in 2000.

 

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