The Dutch cruise ship Hondius is currently sailing into the Port of Rotterdam. After the disembarkation of guests and a limited number of crew in Granadilla, the Canary Islands, completed on 11 May, the vessel set sail for Rotterdam where the vessel will undergo a thorough cleaning and disinfection process.
Oceanwide Expedtions‘ cruise ship left from Argentina on 1 April and followed an itinerary across the South Atlantic, with multiple stops in remote and ecologically diverse regions, including mainland Antarctica, South Georgia, Nightingale Island, Tristan da Cunha, Saint Helena, and Ascension Island. At Cape Verde, it became clear several people on board were infected with the hantavirus, also resulting in several deaths.
Medical evacuations followed after which the vessel left for the Canary Islands where the remainder of the passengers disembarked as well as a number of the crew and were repatriated.
Also read: Virus outbreak on Dutch cruise ship Hondius [UPDATED]
Vessel to Rotterdam
After the guests and a number of crew left the vessel in Granadilla, a total of 27 individuals remained on board, consisting of 25 crew and two medical staff provided by the RIVM. None of these individuals are displaying symptoms associated with hantavirus. The two medical staff monitored everyone on board throughout the remainder of the voyage.
The ship is coming to the Port of Rotterdam because Rotterdam has an established role as a quarantine port under the Public Health Act. Rotterdam has the necessary procedures, expertise and facilities in place to handle the situation carefully and safely. There is no immediate risk to the surrounding area or the region’s residents.
Port Master René de Vries explains: ‘You must help a ship in distress. We do not leave the crew to fend for themselves at sea. Rotterdam is a safe port: as a quarantine port, we are prepared for this and, together with our partners, we can act swiftly and professionally, in the interests of the crew, the port and the surrounding area.’
Quarantine and cleaning
Upon arrival in Rotterdam, the Hondius will undergo a carefully coordinated operation: crew members will be tested and placed in quarantine. A quarantine facility has been set up for the crew near the Calandsteiger. 23 accommodation units have been installed here. The location was chosen on the basis of safety, space and logistical capabilities to ensure the operation can be carried out safely and in a controlled manner. Some of the crew will remain in quarantine here until 18 June, provided they cannot be repatriated.
The ship will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. These activities will take place at a later date in the Europoort area, in close cooperation between the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the Rotterdam-Rijnmond Municipal Health Service (GGD), the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM), the Rotterdam-Rijnmond Safety Region and Oceanwide Expeditions.
Picture: Cruise ship Hondius during a cruise in 2025 (photo by Stefan Brending, Wikimedia Commons, CC-BY-SA-3.0).
