'Wait and see' tactic over potential coronavirus impact on Fort cruise ships - The Oban Times
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With 14 cruise ships due to call at Fort William this year and the first due in just a few weeks, there has been concern on how they may be affected by the current global outbreak of the Covid-19 coronavirus.
Sarah Kennedy, company secretary with Fort William Marina and Shoreline Community Interest Company, told the Lochaber Times this week that it was still very early days to try to gauge the potential impact.
Mrs Kennedy explained that with no dedicated port authority for Fort William, it is Highland Council which has to fill that function in an acting capacity.
And she says the local authority’s marine superintendent has now sent all the ships’ agents who have booked visits for their liners to Fort William notice that they must complete a Maritime Declaration of Health (MDH) for the port authority before arriving.
‘This form details various things such as what port they originated from – regardless of whether it is a foreign or UK port – what ports they have visited in the last 14 days and if anyone on board is ill,’ added Mrs Kennedy.
‘This is pretty standard as they have to do this anyway – the difference being is that this is an official separate request.
‘We are just standing by waiting for whatever instructions we receive from the Scottish Government and seeing how this virus is being contained.
‘We hope that the effect will not significantly impact this method of visitors coming to Fort William but we will just have to wait and see.’
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