Reeling under a mass outbreak of the coronavirus in dormitories housing its foreign labour force, Singapore is studying the feasibility of using two Genting Cruise Lines ships as temporary accommodation for those who have recovered from the virus and tested negative.
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said on Friday that Genting’s 50,800-gt Superstar Gemini (built 1992) had docked at the Marina Bay Cruise Centre that morning and would undergo a thorough assessment to determine its suitability as a temporary accommodation for foreign workers.
“The assessment will be done with the support of the ship’s operator and will consider, among other areas, the ship’s ventilation systems, security protocols and infection control measures. It will only be used to house foreign workers if it passes the assessment,” the STB said.
“Cruiseships are being considered as they have readily available rooms and en-suite toilets to minimise person-to-person contact. If deemed suitable, both ships may accommodate up to 2,000 foreign workers and will be activated only if there is a need to supplement other temporary accommodation facilities,” the STB added.
Managing transmissions
“This is to further manage Covid-19 transmissions and to allow health measures to be implemented more effectively in existing dormitories by reducing the number of workers there.”
The SuperStar Gemini’s sistership SuperStar Aquarius (built 1993) could also be used for a similar role at a later date.
Both ships have been idle since coronavirus first broke out across Asia in January.
Singapore is desperately trying to find alternative accommodation for its 200,000 or so foreign workers since widespread clusters of the virus began breaking out in many of the overcrowded dormitories in which they are housed.
The workers, mainly low-paid labourers from India and Bangladesh, where initially confined to their dormitories, but the high density and often overcrowded conditions of these establishments sent case numbers in the country rising.
Rising cases
On Friday, the number of coronavirus cases in Singapore breached the 4,000 mark when another 728 people, mostly foreign workers, tested positive.
The Singapore government has over the past two weeks been scrambling to rehouse many foreign workers to so that proper social distancing measures can be implemented and the new cluster outbreaks brought under control.
Temporary accommodation is being set up in empty apartment buildings, military camps and even garages in housing estates.
Last week, two offshore floating accommodation units, a barge and a rig, started operating as temporary accommodation for healthy foreign workers in jobs deemed to be essential-services related.
The Maritime & Port Authority teamed up with PSA Singapore, Keppel Corp, Bibby Maritime and the Ascott to bring in and manage the two floatels.
