MSC Eyes Cruise Ships to Evacuate Seafarers in Gulf

MSC Cruises has proposed using six cruise ships currently stranded in the Persian Gulf to help evacuate thousands of seafarers who remain onboard commercial vessels in the region.

Speaking in Miami Beach on Tuesday morning, MSC Group’s Cruise Division Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago described the situation as evolving.

“The reality is we have ships stuck in the Gulf for the time being. We are talking to the IMO (International Maritime Organization) because there are a lot of seafarers that can be moved out of the Gulf on these (cruise ships),” he said.

Among the vessels in the area is MSC’s Euribia, along with Mein Schiff 4 and Mein Schiff 5 from TUI Cruises. Also present are Celestyal Journey, Celestyal Discovery, and Cruise Saudi’s Aroya. Together, these six ships provide capacity for around 17,000 passengers.

Vago noted that MSC Euribia has been reduced to minimum manning levels, and the company has canceled its scheduled Northern Europe itineraries for May that were originally planned for the vessel.

“We need to stay cool and be ready to move out as soon as the possibility comes by,” Vago said.