STATIA – The Public Entity of St. Eustatius has granted the oil terminal GTI permission to bunker a fleet of cruise ships under strict guidelines. Conditions laid down in a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with companies doing business with GTI on St. Eustatius apply. “Bunkering of cruise vessels is a part of the service the oil company already performs when its bunker barges carry out the service on the neighboring islands of St. Kitts and St. Maarten. Due to the present COVID 19 crisis the request has been made for the cruise ships to come to the bunker barge instead”, states Government Commissioner, Marnix van Rij.
Three ships will be allowed to fuel on St. Eustatius on Wednesday May 6th and an additional 2 ships on Thursday May 7th. The same strict guidelines already in effect are applicable. This means there will be no person to person contact. No one will leave the ships and no one will board the ships at St. Eustatius. Prior their arrival on St. Euststius each ship was required to present pre-arrival forms per maritime regulations. There are no passengers on board these ships, only crew.
