Queen Mary 2 awaits clearance to enter Durban port

Luxury cruise liner, the Queen Mary 2 was still awaiting clearance to dock at Durban's port on Saturday.

“The Queen Mary 2 passenger vessel is presently outside the port of Durban and has requested clearance to be allowed to dock in the port to receive bunkers and stores. If approval is granted by the department of transport and the Port Health unit of the department of health, the vessel will dock, refuel and disembark six SA crew members before setting sail for Southampton in the UK,” said Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) in a statement.

Port of Durban general manager Moshe Motlohi said shipping line Cunard announced earlier this month that it had ended its three international voyages early in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

“The cruise liner was already on her way to SA when the SA government announced a ban on cruise ships from March 18. She was not among the initial six cruise ships which authorities confirmed would be permitted to dock in the country as an interim measure, following new regulations promulgated by the minister of transport on March 18.

“The regulations prohibit any disembarkations apart from returning SA citizens or permanent residents, and prohibit embarkations unless they are for departing foreign,” Motlohi said.