Canada Arctic Closed Through October

[mrlevin]

I apologize if this has been posted here; I did a quick perusal and didn't see any mention.

 

Canada has closed Arctic to all Canadian passenger ships with more than twelve passengers through October.  There is also a limitation on foreign vessels through October, I think this impacts three Silver Cloud voyages including the Northwest Passage. Here is article.

 

Quote

Canadian cruise ships forbidden in Arctic waters

In addition, Canadian cruise ships are forbidden to moor, navigate or transit in Canadian Arctic waters, including Nunatsiavut, Nunavik and the Labrador Coast.

60-day notice for foreign passenger vessels

Should any foreign passenger vessel seek to enter Arctic waters, it would need to give the minister of transport 60 days’ notice and be subject to any conditions deemed necessary to ensure the protection of marine personnel and local communities from the spread of COVID-19.

These Arctic measures will remain in place through October.

 

Edited April 11, 2020 by mrlevin

[iMarco46]

COVID-19 safety measures for commercial passenger vessels and ferry operators

COVID-19 safety measures for commercial passenger vessels and ferry operators

Commercial passenger vessels and ferries represent a higher risk for viral transmission of infectious respiratory diseases like COVID-19. Close proximity and frequent interactions among passengers and crew could pose a significant safety risk to travellers, crew, and the Canadian population. As a result, Transport Canada is introducing additional safety measures to help mitigate these risks.

The Minister of Transport issued an Interim Order on April 5, 2020, to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 on-board commercial passenger vessels carrying more than 12 passengers.

As of April 6, 2020, the following new measures are being implemented:

• All commercial passenger vessels with a capacity of more than 12 passengers are prohibited from operating for non-essential purposes, such as tourism or recreational activities (e.g. day tours, whale watching, or sightseeing). These measures remain in place until June 30 at the earliest.
• Given the vulnerabilities of Canada’s North, the measures would prevent any Canadian non-essential, commercial passenger vessels, such as cruise ships with a capacity of more than 12 passengers, from mooring, navigating, or transiting in Canadian Arctic waters (including Nunatsiavut, Nunavik and the Labrador Coast). Should any foreign passenger vessel seek to enter Arctic waters, they would need to give the Minister of Transport 60 days’ notice and be subject to conditions to ensure the safety of the voyage and protection of marine personnel and of local communities. These measures will remain in place until October 31, 2020.

[rojaan19]

It didn’t take the CDC long to  now essentially freezing all cruise traffic for the next three months:

This order ceases operations of cruise ships in waters in which the United States may exert jurisdiction and requires that they develop a comprehensive, detailed operational plan approved by CDC and the USCG to address the COVID-19 pandemic through maritime focused solutions, including a fully implementable response plan with limited reliance on state, local, and federal government support.  These plans would help prevent, mitigate, and respond to the spread of COVID-19, by:

• monitoring of passengers and crew medical screenings;
• training crew on COVID-19 prevention;
• managing and responding to an outbreak on board; and
• submitting a plan to USCG and CDC for review

 

[highplanesdrifters]

Thanks for posting. I was thinking about taking one of the Cloud trips up there late this summer. Time to make Plan B.