RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – After the Brazilian Ministry of Health authorized the resumption of the cruise season in Brazil as of March 7, crew members aboard vessels anchored in Santos, on the coast of São Paulo, are expecting to resume their activities, and experts evaluate the scenario as positive for the economy of the region and the country.
The economist Luciano Simões explains that the resumption of activities has high economic potential because the dynamics involve the crew, other companies, and outsourced service providers. “Even if the season has been interrupted, we can estimate that the economic potential of the resumption reaches at least R$1 billion (US$194 million) because the season usually lasts until April,” he analyzes.
Simões also points out that this is a 35,000 direct and indirect jobs market. “As our region has a tourist and commercial focus, part of this value will increase our local economy. According to a study by Getúlio Vargas Foundation (FGV), each ship generates around R$350 million of impact to the economy, so our region still has a lot to gain with this recovery,” he says.
All cruise ships operating this season on the Brazilian coast – MSC Seaside, Splendida, Preziosa, Costa Diadema, and Fascinosa – are suspended in the Port of Santos’ anchorage area.
The health requirements for the activity include vaccination passports, testing of all passengers and crew members before boarding the ship, testing of 10% of the people throughout the trip, and constant use of masks.
In January, the Brazilian Cruise Ship Association (Clia) informed that the suspension of activities until March 4 was voluntary. There is still no definition on the subject, contrasting with “positive developments in the United States, where health authorities recognize the effectiveness of cruise industry protocols.”
The association further states that it is working on behalf of MSC Cruises and Costa Cruzeiros to align with Federal, state, municipal, and Brazil’s National Health Regulatory Agency’s (Anvisa) authorities to interpret and apply the health and safety operational protocols that were approved at the beginning of the current season in November.
Clia states that the cruises have already adopted the health protocols. It also reiterates the economic impact caused by the sector on the Brazilian coast, which was expected to bring more than 360,000 tourists.
ANVISA RECOMMENDS DEFINITIVE SUSPENSION
In January, Anvisa recommended to the Ministry of Health and to the President’s Chief of Staff the definitive suspension of the cruise season in Brazil as a necessary action to protect the population’s health.
According to the agency, the document forwarded to the Ministry of Health and the Chief of Staff contains the presentation of the epidemiological scenario of Covid-19 on cruise ships operating the 2021-2022 season, including the complications since the beginning of their operations in the national territory.
Anvisa explains that the protocols it defined for the operation of cruise ships in Brazil brought devices that allowed to monitor the epidemiological scenario on the vessels for almost two months and were essential to quickly identify the change in the number of cases on board in the penultimate epidemiological week of 2021.
With information from G1