India: Goan Mariners Celebrate As Norwegian Escape Starts Recruitment

The Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Escape started its recruitment process on Saturday. After being docked at Mormugao Port Trust, the cruise decided to pick 2000 Goan seafarers, once they finished an extremely thorough and careful Covid-19 testing process.

These Goan seafarers will accompany 200 more picked from Mumbai and other 400 seafarers before departing to Florida. This is a great opportunity for them as the US government has resumed cruises between the Caribbean coast and Miami.

“This is the first cruise line to start operations and pick up crew from Goa,” said Parixit Pai Fondekar, the director of Kamaxi Overseas Consultants. “800 crew members are getting on board the vessel and 50% of them are Goans,” said Fondekar.

The Norwegian Escape had helped repatriate 475 mariners and had been docked in the port of Mormugao since June.

“Employment opportunities on cruise lines are returning and we have started recruiting for security, nurses, and culinary positions, which are always in demand. A lot of people who have come home have decided not to go back on the ship. Many people said that they want to retire. So fresh hiring has already started,” said Fondekar.

To avoid the mariners coming in contact with the virus, the officials booked entire hotels in Mumbai and Goa to create a large bio-bubble. A lot of members were restricted to their rooms, so as to board the vessel safely, without the threat of covid-19. They were transported to the vessel by buses on Saturday.

“The seafarers will be kept in isolation for seven days on the vessel,” said Fondekar.

According to Fondekar, Norwegian Joy, another cruise liner, is also expected to come from Manila to Mumbai and Goa for its recruitments, in the coming week. Three rounds of Covid-19 RT-PCR tests were conducted on the mariners, as a result, they will be able to board the ship safely.

Reference: timesofindia.indiatimes.com