A report on the website of Seattle Times says that foreign flag cruise ships with people infected by the coronavirus should try to evacuate people to the country of the registration of the ship first, rather than to the US.

“The U.S. Coast Guard has directed cruise ships to prepare to treat any sick passengers and crew on board while being sequestered “indefinitely” offshore during the coronavirus pandemic. The new rules outlined in a memo are required for ships in the district that covers Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and Puerto Rico. They also come with a stiff warning: Any foreign-flagged vessels “that loiter beyond U.S. territorial seas” should try first to medically evacuate the very sick to those countries instead,” the report said.

It is amazing that during this crisis, in which cruise ships have often been at the very forefront of events, the role and responsibility of flag states has not been discussed at all.

Ships are the sovereign territory of the country whose flag they fly.

In the case of Princess Cruises, this is the UK, of Holland America Line it is the Netherlands. Ships of these two companies remain in the headlines, but ones registered e.g. in the Bahamas, Italy and Malta have also been affected by the virus crisis.

What is the responsibility of the British government for the safety and well being of passengers and crew – most of whom are not British, not necessarily even the master – onboard a ship that flies the British flag and which is in the waters of Australia or the US and which has people sick with the coronavirus onboard?

In the debate about the situation in the hyper-globalised cruise industry, this question will probably have  come up now!