Ports closed to cruise ships in the context of COVID-19: What choices are there for coastal states?

• Published in: Annals of tourism research 2021-01, Vol.86, p.103066-103066, Article 103066
• Main Authors: Choquet, Anne, Sam-Lefebvre, Awa
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Coastal States; Coronavirus-COVID-19; Cruise ships; Humanities and Social Sciences; Law of the sea; Maritime Law; Shipping
• ISSN: 0160-7383; 1873-7722
• DOI: 10.1016/j.annals.2020.103066

In the COVID-19 context will coastal States open their ports to cruise ships to meet the needs of people in danger? Can they prefer a more self-centered approach to protect their territory and exercise their sovereignty? The purpose of this study is to analyze the legal framework for the management of health risk by coastal States in the context of the coronavirus threat on cruise ships. The lack of a clearly defined common management strategy in face of major health risk complicates the situation. Only cooperation between flag States and port States will make it possible to overcome any conflicts of implementation between the State sovereignty principle and assistance to persons in distress at sea. •Some States decide formal prohibitions to accost or quarantine due to COVID-9.•States prohibit a ship from entering its waters because some passengers are ill.•Assistance to a ship and the passengers when a threat of serious and imminent danger•There are sovereignty and sovereign rights over maritime areas.