CLIA and its member lines welcome the publication of EMSA (European Maritime Safety Agency) guidance on the resumption of cruise ship operations in the EU-European Union.
The EMSA guidance features recommendations relating to the development of port and ship management plans and the interaction between ports, terminals, and cruise operations.
Co-authored with ECDC (European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control), the EMSA guidance follows the publication of EU Healthy Gateways guidance on the resumption of cruise operations. Viewed together, these guidance documents aim to establish "a pan-European benchmark for national maritime transport and public health authorities for the future resumption of cruising in Europe."
CLIA and its member cruise lines have been engaged in guidance development, which is due to help informing the development of protocols at a national level. CLIA member lines are identifying appropriate protocols, based on evolving guidance from medical experts and health authorities, that cover cruise passengers from the time of booking the trip to the voyage itself and their safe return home.
CLIA members envisage there will be "a gradual, phased-in approach to the resumption of operations." The commitment of CLIA and its members to safety and health is unwavering. The combination of European guidance, cruise lines’ protocols, national regulatory measures, port and terminal protocols is due to feature multi-layered levels of trust for cruisers and crew members.