Ban on docking of cruise ships extended until mid-July

The ban on the landing and shore leave of passengers and crew of cruise ships in Portuguese ports was again extended by the government, until 23:59 of July 15, according to an order published on Tuesday.

The decree, published as a supplement to the Official Gazette to take effect from 00:00 on Wednesday, admits a further extension of the decree “depending on the evolution of the epidemiological situation in Portugal.”

The ban on cruise ship passengers disembarking was first imposed on March 13 and has been successively extended by the government.

The executive, in the preamble of the order, recalls that this ban, and its extensions, are justified as “a measure to contain possible contagion lines in order to control the spread of SARS-CoV-2,” and that “the epidemiological situation, both in Portugal and in other countries, is not yet fully controlled.”

The extension of the ban until mid-July takes into account that “international experience demonstrates the high risk arising from the disembarkation of passengers and crew of cruise ships.”

As has been the case since March 13, the ban on cruise ships in ports does not apply to nationals or holders of residence permits in Portugal.

Cruise ships are also still allowed to dock in ports for supply, maintenance and for repair.

The extension of the ban also “does not prejudice disembarkation in exceptional or urgent cases, subject to authorization from the health authority, namely for humanitarian or health reasons, or for immediate repatriation,” the executive said in the diploma.