Cruise liner Amsterdam awaiting clearance to enter Durban

The luxury cruise liner Amsterdam was awaiting clearance to dock at Durban's port on Monday morning.

The vessel arrived in Durban on Sunday.

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) said officials were in communication with the vessel's agent and master to determine how the ship will be managed and any measures that need to be put in place.

The vessel is requesting clearance to be allowed to dock in the port to receive bunkers and stores.

If approval is granted by the department of health, the vessel will dock, refuel and South African passengers will be allowed to disembark. However, it is believed that only crew are aboard the ship.

In a statement last month, the ship's line, Holland America, said the cruise would end in Australia as a result of the coronavirus pandemic and that passengers would have to disembark in Fremantle on March 22.

It said requests by several passengers to travel on board to the final destination, Fort Lauderdale, were denied, as it was unsafe as most of the ports along the route were not accepting cruise ships.

On Thursday the Queen Mary 2 passenger vessel departed from Durban after six South Africans disembarked.

The vessel was allowed the enter the port on Tuesday after crew were tested for Covid-19.