#Nassau, Bahamas – March 18, 2020 — FULL STATEMENT by Renward Wells, Minister of Transport
Mister Speaker;
Today I wish to
report that the humanitarian relief afforded The Bahamas Flag cruise ship
Braemar is completed and that the ship has departed Bahamian waters.
Mister Speaker;
I wish to provide
a chronology of events regarding this matter in order to fully apprise
Bahamians of the sequence of events that led to the resolution of this matter.
We were initially advised via email on 11th March, 2020 that the
Cruise Ship Braemar was en route to Barbados with confirmed coronavirus cases
looking for a port of call to dock. The ship was denied entry into Barbados
which was its home port.
Mister Speaker;
The ship entered
Bahamian territorial waters on 13th March, 2020, with a crew of 381
and 682 passengers, including citizens from 33 countries. More than 97% of the
ship’s passengers were of British nationality, and more than 90% were over 60
years of age.
A few people on
board had tested positive for COVID-19, and the ship which had been on a
Caribbean itinerary, had already been denied entry into several Caribbean
ports, including Barbados.
The owners of the
Cruise Ship, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, opened dialogue with The Bahamas, since
it was registered under our flag. They also engaged the UK authorities due to
the fact that there were hundreds of British citizens on board.
Mister Speaker;
The Bahamas
Government’s course of action was to immediately establish an inter-agency team
which comprised of representatives of The Office of The Prime Minister, the
Ministry of Transport and Local Government, the Bahamas Maritime Authority, the
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Ministry of Health, all at the highest
level, to set The Bahamas’ policy and establish parameters for this national
issue. Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Transport and Local Government and Minister of
Grand Bahama headed this team, whose remit was to set policies and action
points and to interface with the government of the United Kingdom. The Minister
of Disaster Management and Reconstruction, Iram Lewis, also offered invaluable
advice to the operations’ team.
The ship’s owners
requested The Bahamas’ assistance with supplying the vessel with essential
medical supplies, provisions and fuel; and also for the disposal of refuse and
the disembarkation and repatriation of passengers; which they anticipated would
occur at a dock and other facilities in The Bahamas.
The Bahamas
Government however, did not allow the ship to dock at a Bahamian port or berth
and advised that any discharges from the ship were prohibited in Bahamian
waters. Further, we declined to accept any refuse from the ship and did not allow
any disembarkation whatsoever and/or repatriation from The Bahamas by any of
the passengers – in light of the broader health risks posed.
Mister Speaker;
We did, however, offer to provide humanitarian relief to the
ship – without the ship docking at a Bahamian port.
The conditions advised were that this would occur at a location
out at sea where the ship could be given aid in an isolated area.
Acting Port Controller, Lieutenant Commander Berne Wright
assisted in this endeavor by identifying a temporary safe anchorage site for
the ship in a remote area in the Great Isaac Bank, which is some twenty-five
(25) nautical miles from Freeport, where the required humanitarian operation
could be safely carried out.
Mister Speaker;
Permit me to now provide a more comprehensive and detailed
timeline from the cruise ship Braemars arrival to its departure from Bahamian territorial
waters.
On Friday 13th March, 2020, the Braemar entered
Bahamian territorial waters from the South. The vessel was reported, at the
time, to have on board five (5) persons that is; one (1) passenger, and four (4)
crew members with confirmed cases of COVID-19, and a number of persons in
quarantine with flu-like symptoms. The Bahamas Government’s, inter-agency team
held a telephone conference, which was joined in part by the UK High
Commissioner, to review possible arrangements.
British Officials requested that a few medical and support
personnel and six (6) additional crew members be allowed to embark the ship
during The Bahamas’ humanitarian operation. It was made unequivocally clear
that no one would disembark the ship in The Bahamas.
Our next course of action was to establish an on-site team for
the Freeport and Great Isaac Bank operations. This team was headed by the
Acting Port Controller and representatives of the Chief Medical Officer in the
persons of Dr. Bartlett and Dr. Hedge (pronounced Heggee) of Freeport; both of
whom provided invaluable assistance on the ground.
The ship’s managers were advised of the location of refuge and
the conditions for the planned operations were discussed. The ship’s managers
provided details of their proposed arrangements for refueling; details of the
embarking crew and identification of the local ship’s agents were provided.
The proposed plan was reviewed by the Acting Port Controller
and Chief Medical Officer’s representatives, who made amendments to ensure that
best safety practices were employed at all times.
Six (6) crew members arrived in Nassau and were cleared in the charge
of the ship’s agent who subsequently transferred the crew to Freeport.
The next day, which was Saturday 14th March, 2020,
the ship arrived at the identified anchorage and the Acting Port Controller arrived
in Freeport to act as the on scene Coordinator for the proposed operation.
The proposed operational plans were further fine-tuned,
additional control measures and protocols were also introduced.
Mister Speaker;
On the second day of the plan, Sunday 15th March,
2020, in keeping with the operational plans, the Bahamian tug crew were all
fully briefed and provided with appropriate protective gear prior to departure.
A barge with the provisions and the ship’s crew members who had flown in, were
towed by tug from Freeport to a designated point in the vicinity of the vessel,
and anchored at that location.
It is important to note here Mister Speaker, that the
provisions were then loaded on to the Braemar by its crew – with no physical
contact of any nature between the Bahamian crew and any Braemar personnel. The
medical personnel bound for the ship arrived in Freeport after air transfer
from Nassau, and the arrangements for the transfer of these persons to the
ships were reviewed by the on scene Coordinator and his team with agreed
control measures and medical control introduced.
Mister Speaker;
The medical team was transferred to the ship by launch and they
boarded without any contact between the ship or the launch’s personnel who had
been fully briefed and equipped regarding proper medical protocol.
Mister Speaker;
On the final day of the operation which was Monday 16th
March, 2020, the Braemar cruise ship departed Bahamian territorial waters with
its full complement of passengers, crew and personnel.
Mister Speaker;
I wish to advise that as a precautionary measure, the barge
will remain on its own at anchorage (at sea) for a period of seventy-two (72)
hours before The Bahamas medical authorities initiate a complete cleaning and
disinfecting process.
Mister Speaker;
I am pleased to also report that the ship’s owners were fully
cooperative throughout the operation. Additionally, it is instructive that at
all stages of the operation none of the passengers left the ship and there was
no contact whatsoever between the ship’s crew and the Bahamian tug or crew.
Mister Speaker;
The success of this aspect of the operation was contingent on
the involvement and coordination by Acting Port Controller Lieutenant Commander
Berne Wright, with the support and assistance of Captain Dwain Hutchinson and
the Bahamas Maritime Authority and the representatives of the Chief Medical
Officer.
Mister Speaker;
We are all keenly aware of the devastating impact that this
pandemic has had on many countries in the world. We must all acknowledge
however, that challenges will continue to abound in combating its spread. Ultimately
however, we have to determine what is in the best interest of the Bahamian
people. That is paramount. Notwithstanding, we continue to pray for the safe
and successful passage and well-being of the passengers and crew of the cruise
ship Braemar.
The Government of The Bahamas by way of the Bahamas Maritime
Authority will continue to be in constant communication with the owners of the
Braemar, and in so doing we will continue to update the Bahamian people as
warranted.
In closing, Mr. Speaker, I wish to embrace this opportunity to
thank the numerous people who came together, whether hands on, or remotely, to
ensure the successful outcome of this operation and invariably for the safety,
well-being and best interest of all Bahamians.