Those cruise ships at port? Just grabbing a few things.

Cruise ships seen rotating in and out of slips at Port Everglades and Port Miami aren’t coming to pick up passengers.

The cruise industry remains under suspension in the United States pending federal approval of cruise lines’ plans to prevent future passengers from contracting COVID-19.

In the meantime, companies must still keep their expensive investments, well, ship shape. And that means keeping bare-bones crews on board to ensure mechanical, electrical and plumbing equipment run smoothly.

Those crews take turns steering the ships into the ports, so their vessels can receive food, medical supplies and fuel.

Since the pandemic triggered a global cruising shutdown last March, Port Everglades has welcomed ships owned by Royal Caribbean International and Carnival Corp., including Celebrity Apex, Celebrity Edge, Caribbean Princess, Coral Princess, Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam and Seabourn Odyssey.

Some of the ships go to the same terminals where passengers would normally board them, said Port Everglades spokeswoman Ellen Kennedy. But ships that would be otherwise stationed on the Intracoastal Waterway have to dock inside the port’s turning basin to make room for cargo ships that need a wide berth, she said.

“Also, sometimes we will put a cargo ship at a cruise berth if it is not in use. Port Everglades is considered a diverse seaport because we handle cruise, cargo, energy, cement, car carriers and yacht carriers among other types of vessels. So our docks can accommodate a variety of ships,” Kennedy said.

Carnival ships typically have about 125 crew members on board, Carnival spokesman Vance Gulliksen said. Royal Caribbean ships are operating with crews of essential workers, said that company’s spokesman, Jonathon Fishman.

While many ships have spent large amounts of time anchored in the ocean, Carnival has brought a majority of its fleet to Port Miami in preparation for a return to service, Gulliksen said.

The port rotations benefit shore-side businesses, whose workers are needed to load fuel and drive the trucks and forklifts that carry food and provisions.

But the dockings are of no benefit to businesses that would normally cater to crew members on shore leave. That’s because federal health regulations prohibit the ships’ workers — nearly all of whom live in countries outside of the U.S. — from leaving their ships, Kennedy said.

SUSAN STOCKER/SOUTH FLORIDA SUN SENTINEL Ships are docked at the Port of Miami on Thursday.