The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced in the Federal Register a framework for a phased resumption of cruise ship passenger operations, including requirements for the initial phases of this framework regarding testing of crew members for COVID-19.
Effective as of 30 October 2020, the Order applies to cruise ship operators with cruise ships operating in US waters and cruise ship operators who are operating cruise ships outside of US waters, but intend for their cruise ships to return to operating in US waters while this order remains in effect.
See also: US extends No Sail Order for cruises until 31st October
Requirements for protection of crew
(1) The cruise ship operator must have received a determination by CDC that a plan submitted in response to the No Sail Order and Suspension of Further Embarkation; Notice of Modification and Extension and Other Measures Related to Operations published at 85 FR 21004 (April 15, 2020) (i.e., “No Sail Order response plan”), as modified and extended July 16, 2020 (published at 85 FR 44085 (July 21, 2020)), and September 30, 2020 (published at 85 FR 62732 (October 5, 2020)) is complete and accurate, including having submitted to CDC a signed Acknowledgment of No Sail Order Response Plan Completeness and Accuracy.
(2) Cruise ships operating in US waters must continue to submit the EDC form as specified in CDC technical instructions or orders. Cruise ship operators with ships that have not been in U.S. waters during the period of March 14 through October 31, 2020, or who voluntarily withdrew their ships during this time period, and who wish to operate those ships in U.S. waters during the period that this framework remains in effect, must additionally submit the EDC form during (at a minimum) the 28 days preceding those ships’ expected arrival in U.S. waters and continue to submit the EDC form after the ships’ entering U.S. waters.
(3) The cruise ship operator has observed and will continue to observe all elements of its No Sail Order response plan including by following the most current CDC recommendations and guidance for any public health actions related to COVID-19, or if any deviations from the plan have occurred such deviations have been reported and corrective actions taken to the satisfaction of CDC.
(4) The cruise ship operator has arranged for and submitted and will continue to arrange for and submit such laboratory test results as may be required by CDC for every crew member on board ships operating in U.S. waters and/or operating outside of U.S. waters if the cruise ship operator intends for the ship to return to operating in U.S. waters at any time while this Order remains in effect. Laboratory testing for every crew member must be conducted on a weekly basis or at such other intervals as required by CDC in technical instructions or orders. CDC may conduct oversight of specimen Start Printed Page 70159collection, testing, and laboratory procedures, as necessary.
(5) If the cruise ship received any ship-to-ship transfers in the last 28 days, crew were only transferred from a cruise ship with no confirmed COVID-19 or COVID-like illness during the 28 days before the transfer occurred.
(6) If the cruise ship received any land-based embarking crew, such crew were laboratory tested for COVID-19 upon embarkation and quarantined per CDC technical instructions or orders immediately upon embarking the ship.
(7) Following submission of an application for a COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate, the cruise ship operator shall continue to follow these requirements for protection of crew pending approval of the operator’s application.
General prohibition on a cruise ship operator commencing or continuing passenger operations without a COVID-19 conditional sailing certificate
(a) A cruise ship operator shall not commence or continue any passenger operations in U.S. waters without a COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate issued by CDC that meets the requirements in this framework for each cruise ship that the cruise ship operator intends to operate with passengers in U.S. waters.
(b) A cruise ship operator shall not violate the terms or conditions of a COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate issued pursuant to this framework.
(c) As a condition of obtaining or retaining a COVID-19 Conditional Sailing Certificate, the cruise ship operator must be in compliance with CDC’s standards for mitigating the risk of COVID-19 onboard the cruise ship as set forth in this framework and in CDC technical instructions or orders.
Find all the 40 pages of the Framework, released on 4 November, herebelow:
