Ships linked to firm that flew in crew
Quarantine in Queensland but . . .
A PAIR of shipping vessels docked in Otago Harbour are operated by one of the companies which flew 440 foreign seaman to New Zealand, 11 of whom have tested positive for Covid19.
Te Raukura and Aleksey Slobodchikov, berthed at Port Otago’s T/U sheds in Dunedin for three weeks, are operated by Maruha, which along with Sealord and IFL chartered two flights and paid for the costs of a 14day managed isolation for the Russian and Ukrainian fishermen.
Eleven of those seamen tested positive for Covid19 yesterday while in a quarantine hotel in Christchurch, despite testing negative before boarding a charter flight to New Zealand last Friday.
Another 14 cases are ‘‘under further investigation’’, the Ministry of Ministry has confirmed.
The Sudima Hotel, near the city’s airport, was placed in lockdown yesterday afternoon after a staff member told chief operating officer Les Morgan there were a ‘‘number of infections’’.
‘‘All are imported cases detected at routine day three testing. None involve cases in the community,’’ the ministry said.
‘‘All relevant public health measures are being taken . . . to minimise the risk to public and staff.’’
The Otago Daily Times understands the fishing company is looking to change crew on both vessels.
The company did not respond to a request for comment on whether it was looking to crew the boats with the Russians and Ukrainians now in quarantine.
Earlier this month a Port Otago harbour control spokesman said the vessels were in Dunedin for maintenance.
Te Raukura was expected to leave Port Otago on November 5 and Aleksey Slobodchikov on November 19.
Port Otago chief executive Kevin Winders could not say if the fishermen brought into Christchurch would come to Dunedin after their isolation to work on the two ships.
He referred inquiries to the agent of the vessels.
Speaking generally, he said whether crew from a ship could come ashore was now determined by a Ministry of Health official or medical officer of health.
Previously, the ports could decide which workers could come ashore based on maritime border rules passed down by the ministry.
Tapley Swift shipping agent David McLean said he was only the local agent and declined to comment.
Maruha New Zealand operations manager Tim Law could not be reached for comment.
CANBERRA: Australia’s federal Government is attempting to flip the script on the surprise incursion of travellers from New Zealand into unsuspecting states.
Australia has faced days of criticism over its transtasman travel bubble, which was originally only supposed to include New Zealand, New South Wales and the Northern Territory.
But travellers from New Zea land have taken domestic flights to all corners of the country after touching down in Sydney.
New Zealanders have been funnelled straight into hotel quarantine after arriving in states with hard borders.
Several state premiers have railed against the Morrison Government for blindsiding them. But federal Tourism Minister Simon Birmingham said the spat exposed the inflexibility of quarantine rules.
South Australia, which reported no cases yesterday, has decided to open its borders to travellers from New Zealand and allow 12 quarantined recent arrivals into the community.
Police Commissioner Grant Stevens said after discussions with New Zealand health officials, local authorities were comfortable about the risk posed by those coming into the state.
Queensland took a different approach, forcing two New Zealand travellers into quarantine after they arrived from Sydney.
Deputy premier Steven Miles said there had been no further consideration about the Sunshine State joining the travel bubble with New Zealand. Queensland again recorded no new coronavirus cases yesterday.
NSW reported two new locally transmitted cases and three infections among travellers in hotel quarantine. Victoria had one new case and no deaths.
Australian officials were evacuating workers from a Kuwaitiflagged livestock ship off the country's west coast yesterday after at least half the 52 crew tested positive for Covid19.
The cluster of cases is the fourth outbreak detected on a ship arriving at a Western Australia port in the past month, in a state that had otherwise been Covidfree for weeks. — AAP/ Reuters