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PORT EVERGLADES, FLA. (WSVN) - A cruise ship off the coast of Panama with multiple cases of COVID-19 on it has been allowed access to the Panama Canal after originally being denied and, if approved, is set to sail for Port Everglades, causing concern among Broward County leaders.
The Panama Canal authority allowed the MS Zaandam, a Holland America ship, to go through the canal Saturday night after reaching authorization from the Panama Ministry of Health.
A Holland America statement read, “We are aware of reported permission for both Zaandam and Rotterdam to transit the Panama Canal in the near future. We greatly appreciate this consideration in the humanitarian interest of our guests and crew. This remains a dynamic situation, and we continue to work with the Panamanian authorities to finalize details.”
However, as of Sunday afternoon, the ship was still anchored off the coast of Panama.
Over the weekend, officials in Panama said they are working to expedite the Zaandam passing through the waterway, once the country’s Ministry of Health gives the green light, but there is no word on when that will happen.
7News previously reported that four people aboard the Zaandam have died and at least two others have tested positive for the virus since the ship left Buenos Aires on March 7 with more than 1,200 passengers and 300 crew members on board.
In addition, almost 150 passengers are currently sick with flu-like symptoms.
Healthy passengers were transferred to a sister Holland America ship on Saturday. Cellphone video captured passengers boarding the MS Rotterdam.
Holland America officials said the ship is scheduled to pass through the Panama Canal and eventually dock in Port Everglades.
However, that approval has not been finalized. A spokesperson for Holland America wrote in a statement, “Holland America Line has not yet received official approval to transit the Panama Canal, nor to enter Port Everglades. Should Holland America receive approval to transit the Panama Canal, it would take about three days for the ship to reach South Florida.”
Officials in South Florida are not exactly rolling out the red carpet.
“I don’t think we’re heartless, but we have to make prudent decisions and do what’s right and what’s in the best interests of the people of Broward County,” said Broward County Mayor Dale Holness.
On Sunday, Fort Lauderdale Mayor Dean Trantalis released a statement saying he doesn’t want the ship docking in Port Everglades, and federal authorities should find another location.
The statement reads in part, “I have been provided no information regarding any plans on how all the sick people on the ship will be handled, particularly when we are amid our health crisis here with thousands of people already testing positive for the deadly and contagious COVID-19 virus in the Tri-County area.”
Trantalis went on to say, “I personally would prefer the U.S. Coast Guard and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security find a better plan than to bring the Zaandam to a community already experiencing a rapid increasing spread of COVID-19. Our healthcare system could be extremely burdened by the time the ship arrives.”
On Sunday, Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line, delivered a video message to passengers.
“I apologize for the fact that this has turned out to not be the vacation that you initially signed up for,” he said.
Ashford went on to say, “The important thing here is isolation. Whether you’re isolated on the Zaandam or isolated on the Rotterdam, the way that we protect the health of those of you that are healthy is to make sure that you’re isolated safely while we figure out where it is that we’re going to take you and allow you to disembark and safely travel home.”
The Zaandam was originally set to go through the Panama Canal on April 1. If that happens, it would take about three days for the ship to reach Port Everglades.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said he has been in contact with officials in Miami-Dade, Broward and even the White House to try to find the best possible solution the the situation.
“We’ve done a really good job of working to clear hospital space, so I think we have almost 33% of the beds in Florida available right now,” said DeSantis. “Particularly in South Florida, we’ve set up field hospitals just in case we have a surge. We cannot afford to have people who aren’t even Floridians dumped into South Florida using up those valuable resources.”
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