Quarantine period extended again

28 Feb 2020 / Australia

Australia’s 14-day quarantine period has now been extended until 6 March.

Yesterday (27 February), the Prime Minister of Australia announced that the COVID-19 was likely to be upgraded by the World Health Organisation as a pandemic and implemented pandemic precautions in Australia. As far as we are aware nothing has changed for ship arrivals as a result. The government has increased its warning level to travellers departing Australia and visiting Japan, South Korea, Northern Italy, Mongolia and Iran.

HAYPOINT
As a precaution only, Haypoint would like to start recording pilot away times for all vessels that have visited Korea (e.g. as its last port or within 14 days of the vessels arrival at Haypoint). No restrictions are being placed on these vessels, it is simply information gathering as a precaution. Agents are being asked to provide this information for the relevant vessels under their care.

NEW SOUTH WALES PORTS (Newcastle, Sydney, Port Kembla, Eden)
Masters of all ships due to arrive at NSW ports are required to declare:
- their last 5 ports of call;
- confirm that they have no crew members showing symptoms of the novel coronavirus on-board;
and
- crew or passengers who have left, or transited through, mainland China on or after 1 February 2020 and less than 14 days ago.
Where novel coronavirus is evident, our employees will not be required to board the vessel; and, Port Authority will delay pilotage services to ships that have transited from mainland China, which have been at sea for less than the 14-day quarantine period.

For further details and updates, as well as information about operations in Australia, contact GAC Australia at [email protected]

If quoting any content from Hot Port News, please cite GAC Hot Port News as the source.