NSW Police has ordered Pacific Explorer to leave Sydney!!

[megsie]

Pacific Explorer is presently on its way out of the harbour.

[MMDown Under]

10 minutes ago, Chiliburn said:

I think in a evolving situation they would like to stay near good health care.

 If the ships were to leave for a long journey,in a week or two .infections could arise.

 

We aren’t talking about boat people or illegal fishing boats.These are multinational companies with good advice.

Have you seen the advertisement with medical staff ? in front of empty beds, saying "Please keep these beds free" or something similar.  Have you not seen interviews with medical staff begging for people to take this virus seriously and to be ready?  When intensive care reaches over capacity, there will be no queue for service, like Centrelink recently.  Centrelink wasn't ready.  The Government is doing everything in its power to be ready.  I have a  girlfriend in NY and it is heartbreaking seeing what is happening there and the virus hasn't reached its peak there yet.  

[Pushka]

14 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

Getting the Crews properly checked is a great first step. These people need some assistance at this time. Meanwhile I doubt there is No Plan. I'm guessing they are laying off to bide some time. The ship will require crew as long as they are at anchor, burning fuel etc. Some of these ships are probably going to be homeported in Australia when cruising restarts. If the crew is healthy then all is well they can go about sanitizing everything, painting all those ugly rust stains, refinishing that teak railing etc. etc. etc. Can't just send everyone home, besides your airports are closed as are those in their home country. And wherever the ship is flagged (If that is where you are suggesting they go) is nowhere near the homes of the crew. I'm thinking most of them are closer to home right there at anchor outside the port of Sydney.

Planes are still flying in and out. Some cruiselines and Governments have paid for a charter flight. There is a plan just that the cruiselines don't like it and don't want to pay the costs of flying their crew back home to their local countries. 
 

We only have 2229 ICU beds Australia wide and we need double that just to cope with the expected need based on Australian population demographics. 

Edited April 2, 2020 by Pushka

[nnps]

1 hour ago, VK3DQ said:

 

The issues of FOC and Multinational crews is going to close down cruising in Australia for the foreseeable future, ,,, I dont see an answer , Australia is not going to allow :"Foreign" ships to operate in its waters

 

 

Regards

John

Most of our trade with China and others is carried out by "foreign" ships. I think they will still be welcome. We do need to trade.

[Blackduck59]

23 minutes ago, Pushka said:

Planes are still flying in and out. Some cruiselines and Governments have paid for a charter flight. There is a plan just that the cruiselines don't like it and don't want to pay the costs of flying their crew back home to their local countries. 
 

We only have 2229 ICU beds Australia wide and we need double that just to cope with the expected need based on Australian population demographics. 

 

I don't think the ships want the crews sent home, at least not yet. There is work to do, if they are healthy, and they can't travel anyway if they're not. Test all personnel still aboard, rig isolation "wards" if needed on the ship (use the empty suites) only problem is medical supplies. Sending crew away is not the answer. Give them work and take care of their health. When these ships get back in service they will look like hell without regular maintenance.

[DiamondFour]

I never thought I would say this but I feel utterly ashamed to be Australian and disappointed by this. I have totally lost all respect in the NSW police force and will never look at them in the same way again. It is nothing but a disgusting, poor form, and a disgraceful act of humanity to do this. Words fail me. They really do. It's one thing to turn back boats of fraudulent asylum seekers but this is nothing short of disgraceful. It makes me feel like wanting to give up my birthright of Australian citizenship and leaving this country for good.

[dizzy1948]

34 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

 

I don't think the ships want the crews sent home, at least not yet. There is work to do, if they are healthy, and they can't travel anyway if they're not. Test all personnel still aboard, rig isolation "wards" if needed on the ship (use the empty suites) only problem is medical supplies. Sending crew away is not the answer. Give them work and take care of their health. When these ships get back in service they will look like hell without regular maintenance.

This is part of a news story today re the Artania in WA, which is in the same predicament as other cruise ships around the country/world. Rock/hardplace??? 

 

But the ABF will not force the ship to depart immediately if it means putting lives at risk, and will instead look to arrange emergency charter flights for about 357 non-essential crew who hail from the Philippines and Indonesia.

“I’d be really reluctant to force the issue and push it out to sea where I thought there’s risk to lives at sea in those circumstances,” Mr Outram told 6PR radio on Thursday.

“The crew can be appropriately quarantined on the vessel. We don’t need to bring them all off, there’s a lot of room on that vessel.

“The best-case scenario here is that we manage over the next few days, with the crew on board, to get the situation contained and get the vessel under way.”

Mr Outram said there were 12 to 15 crew members who were vital to the ship’s operations and they were being kept separate from the others.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

Pacific Explorer departing Sydney this afternoon:
 

 

[pully8]

What a mess this is globally.

In Melbourne workers were refusing to unload a ship from china with various supplies including toilet paper and medical supplies.

In Guam an American nuclear ship with sick crew are all going to be off loaded there.

Issues in Fremantle as described.

Problems in America with ships wanting to dock including 2 Holland America ships.

And 8 ships in Sydney.

We like cruising and instead of isolating for 6months and possibly much more, listening to inadequate PPE and dire warnings of certain death, especially for older people, its an attractive option to escape on a cruise anywhere.

Sadly no possibility.

In world war 2 young people were evacuated to perceived safer places, perhaps that could be done for older people?  

 

[Roger88]

I am not surprised they kicked them out lol. I am surprised they allowed it to dock in the first place. By the time the ship reached Australia, the country has already been dealing with the crisis.. and I am not even talking about those wild fires that covered the entire country. btw I heard that high tempretures kill the virus and by summer it will be eliminated by itself. Not sure how reliable is this information. Anyhow, hope this cruiser has a place to go. Feel kinda bad for it 

[The_Big_M]

3 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

The problem is there are 9,000 crew on these ships.  If these people all get ill, Australia's medical would crash.  Australia is already doing modelling of best practice to handle Australians in our existing medical system, if the ***** hits the fan, with too many ill people.  That is why the Government is combining Private and Public Hospitals and staffing, to best manage handling the situation of high volume, trying not to be overwhelmed.  When Intensive Care gets overwhelmed, people die!

I don't like the cruise industry shifting their responsibility of looking after their own staff on to our State and Federal Governments.  Have they offered to pay?  Australia is already taking off ill crew to care for them.  Do they want to stay so long Australia has to change its focus from looking after Australians to looking after foreign ships crew - that is not fair to Australians.  Australians are already paying a high price with the majority of people tested positive being from cruise ships (and people from overseas, inc returning Aussies).  Australia did close its borders to shipping for a period which seems to have been ignored.

 

Why would they all get ill? More than 9000 people have flown in from other countries in just the past two days, which have Covid-19.

 

All they need to do is quarantine them just the same as others, if that's the approach to take. Something can be worked out with the cruise lines. There's really no issue.

 

The police minister is just sensationalising the matter. Up to you the reason why.

[VK3DQ]

10 minutes ago, Kiwi_cruiser said:

Pacific Explorer departing Sydney this afternoon:
 

 

Kicked out  what a disgrace have they no compassion for the crews of these ships , away from their homes and loved ones and just kicked in the guts.

 

Well its the end of cruising as we knew it, things have got to change ..

 

A Fair deal and a fair days pay for the crew .....tipping needs to be banned

 

Regards

John

[The_Big_M]

2 hours ago, Pushka said:

The difference being that these ships are bringing much needed goods into Australia and out again. Medical supplies, tools, equipment, foods etc. Cruises bring in local money but not to the extent our export market does. That is our entire economy. You don't have to do a cruise to enjoy Australia and land based tourism will be the go to for a while. The main people making money from cruises in Australia is most certainly not Australia but the cruiseline companies and that profit doesn't stay here. 
 

Australia can well afford to go very slow on cruises for a while and not suffer. 

 

Australia has focused on the services sector for some time, of which cruises are a part. Our economy is not solely goods.

 

As part of that, the cruise sector is responsible for a large number of direct and indirect employment, services and hospitality purchases, through to maritime and provisions supply purchases locally, all benefiting Australia.

 

I've long argued against some of the fantastic claims the cruise sector makes about its benefits, but just like my earlier comparison with the culpable lack of attention by the government to visitors bringing in the virus to now locking them up, going from extreme positions of encouraging cruising to sending them away is plain stupid, harmful - and in fact completely contrary to the "Liberal" free markets ethos.

[The_Big_M]

2 hours ago, Chiliburn said:

Well I sure the cruise lines have better legal advisors than you.

 

 I should listen to my own advice and ignore you.

 

lol. Your argument doesn't make any sense... hey at least you're consistent!

[The_Big_M]

1 hour ago, Pushka said:

Planes are still flying in and out. Some cruiselines and Governments have paid for a charter flight. There is a plan just that the cruiselines don't like it and don't want to pay the costs of flying their crew back home to their local countries. 
 

We only have 2229 ICU beds Australia wide and we need double that just to cope with the expected need based on Australian population demographics. 

 

Actually, the cruiselines have long paid for flying their crew home to foreign countries.

 

The only issue is the eviction and lack of attention and support locally. It's rich to want the business, but then not being willing to support the logistics of these companies. It's the same as if the government was happy with just as employees, but then when we retired told everyone they're on their own, no pension for you.

[The_Big_M]

 

19 minutes ago, pully8 said:

What a mess this is globally.

In Melbourne workers were refusing to unload a ship from china with various supplies including toilet paper and medical supplies.

In Guam an American nuclear ship with sick crew are all going to be off loaded there.

Issues in Fremantle as described.

Problems in America with ships wanting to dock including 2 Holland America ships.

And 8 ships in Sydney.

We like cruising and instead of isolating for 6months and possibly much more, listening to inadequate PPE and dire warnings of certain death, especially for older people, its an attractive option to escape on a cruise anywhere.

Sadly no possibility.

In world war 2 young people were evacuated to perceived safer places, perhaps that could be done for older people?  

 

 

Xenophobia always exists. This just gives some people the opportunity to display it, and even sometimes attempt to legitimise it.

[dizzy1948]

23 minutes ago, pully8 said:

 

In world war 2 young people were evacuated to perceived safer places, perhaps that could be done for older people?  

 

Where do I put my name down? 😜

[Cruisegroover]

14 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

I am not surprised they kicked them out lol. I am surprised they allowed it to dock in the first place. By the time the ship reached Australia, the country has already been dealing with the crisis.. and I am not even talking about those wild fires that covered the entire country. btw I heard that high tempretures kill the virus and by summer it will be eliminated by itself. Not sure how reliable is this information. Anyhow, hope this cruiser has a place to go. Feel kinda bad for it 

The ships were allowed to cruise as there was no ban when they left port. It is/was also the main cruise season here so lots of ships cruising from Sydney and returning to Sydney. The ban was put into place and all the ships returned to Sydney to disembark passengers just like what happened in most places around the world. It then become an issue due a major stuff up by various government authorities to allow one ship to disembark passengers who were ill but not tested for the virus.

 

In a lot of parts of Australia it is still very warm ie 90 degrees so I don't place much hope the virus can be killed by high temperatures. 

 

 

[Aus Traveller]

2 hours ago, Pushka said:

Planes are still flying in and out. Some cruiselines and Governments have paid for a charter flight. There is a plan just that the cruiselines don't like it and don't want to pay the costs of flying their crew back home to their local countries.

The cruise lines always pay for flights (and accommodation if required) for crew going to or from the ships.

[DiamondFour]

57 minutes ago, dizzy1948 said:

This is part of a news story today re the Artania in WA, which is in the same predicament as other cruise ships around the country/world. Rock/hardplace??? 

 

But the ABF will not force the ship to depart immediately if it means putting lives at risk, and will instead look to arrange emergency charter flights for about 357 non-essential crew who hail from the Philippines and Indonesia.

“I’d be really reluctant to force the issue and push it out to sea where I thought there’s risk to lives at sea in those circumstances,” Mr Outram told 6PR radio on Thursday.

“The crew can be appropriately quarantined on the vessel. We don’t need to bring them all off, there’s a lot of room on that vessel.

“The best-case scenario here is that we manage over the next few days, with the crew on board, to get the situation contained and get the vessel under way.”

Mr Outram said there were 12 to 15 crew members who were vital to the ship’s operations and they were being kept separate from the others.

Obviously the disgraceful NSW police force did not get the memo, what an incompetent racist fool this commissioner is. 

 

I am outraged. I am devastated. I feel so depressed. All of those crew members have brought so much fun, joy and happiness to countless Australian families over the years and in their time of need we turn them away. How racist! I am absolutely and completely ashamed to be Australian. I could never respect a police officer ever again now. Anyone who would want to join the force after that disgraceful act would have to have rocks in their head.

 

I feel so bad for those crew members. They are thoroughly decent and caring people who are victims of this situation.

 

Words cannot express my anger, resentment, disgust and all my emotions at this time. This is just the most disgusting and disgraceful and lowest act against humanity that they could ever stoop to.

[lyndarra]

I'm sorry for the crews being left in limbo. Also, I have a soft spot for Indonesian crew as I lived in Indonesia for a short time many years ago and found them to be wonderful people with a great sense of humour..

Edited April 2, 2020 by lyndarra
typo

[Aus Traveller]

43 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

I am not surprised they kicked them out lol. I am surprised they allowed it to dock in the first place. By the time the ship reached Australia, the country has already been dealing with the crisis.. and I am not even talking about those wild fires that covered the entire country. btw I heard that high tempretures kill the virus and by summer it will be eliminated by itself. Not sure how reliable is this information. Anyhow, hope this cruiser has a place to go. Feel kinda bad for it 

You must be referring to the Pacific Explorer because you refer to " kicking them out". A few comments:

 

You say "By the time the ship reached Australia, the country has already been dealing with the crisis". Uh!!! The Pacific Explorer reached Australia many many years ago. She has been based in Australia as part of P&O sine 2017, and before that she was based in Australia as the Dawn Princess. Sorry - your comment is wrong.

 

You say you have heard that high temperatures kill the virus and by summer it will be eliminated by itself. I think you have been listening to a prominent world leader who seems to say something different every day. If high temps eliminated the virus, it would never been a problem in Singapore (virtually on the Equator) and be causing havoc in Indonesia (also as very hot country). Don't count on high temperatures making any discernible difference to the prevalence of the virus.

 

I am glad you feel kinda bad for the Pacific Explorer.

[Aus Traveller]

48 minutes ago, The_Big_M said:

 

Why would they all get ill? More than 9000 people have flown in from other countries in just the past two days, which have Covid-19.

 

All they need to do is quarantine them just the same as others, if that's the approach to take. Something can be worked out with the cruise lines. There's really no issue.

 

The police minister is just sensationalising the matter. Up to you the reason why.

Interesting points.🙂 If Australia would let the ships dock and non-essential crews disembark, I am sure that the cruise lines would arrange to fly them home - that is if their home countries would accept incoming flights.

[VK3DQ]

FYI  Most crew contracts include flights home after contract finishes , crew then pay their own fare to join their next ship

 

 

Regards

John

[dizzy1948]

33 minutes ago, DiamondFour said:

Obviously the disgraceful NSW police force did not get the memo, what an incompetent racist fool this commissioner is. 

Words cannot express my anger, resentment, disgust and all my emotions at this time. This is just the most disgusting and disgraceful and lowest act against humanity that they could ever stoop to.

My post relates to the situation in WA not NSW. 

 

 

Edited April 2, 2020 by dizzy1948