Moni (Cyprus) (AFP)

A half-dozen cruise ships have been moored in the past nine months off Cyprus, not far from a fishing village on the Mediterranean island affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

After identifying its first cases of Covid-19, Cyprus was quick to impose strict containment in March, closing its airspace and ports.

The island, whose economy is mainly based on tourism and maritime transport, reopened its waters two months later to cruise ships but only for their supply and mooring.

Carnival, the world's largest cruise operator, accepted the offer and its luxury ships began arriving in May off the southern coast of the village of Moni, with the cruise industry crippled by the pandemic.

Anchored about two kilometers offshore, the liners have become an attraction for Cypriot photo-gunners.

"These ships are anchored here because there is nowhere to go. There is no work at the moment," Marios Chrysanthou, captain of the nearby Saint Rafael marina, told AFP. to resupply and rotate the quarantined crews.

"I've never seen that," he adds.

"During the winter they (normally) go to Australia or America, but this epidemic is everywhere now."

Some of the ships have left but others have been anchored off the island for nine months.

"Our ships are awaiting return to service," explains Negin Kamali, spokesperson for Princess Cruises.

"We are continuing to assess the possibilities for future sailing."

- "Pause" -

Among the liners is the Bermuda-flagged "Enchanted Princess", a royal ship built in 2020 with 19 decks and measuring almost 330 meters in length.

Small crews maintain the vessels, including the Bahamian-flagged "Seabourn Quest" which, according to the Marine Traffic website, arrived from Gibraltar on May 8.

According to Carnival, its line of "Princess" cruisers suspended navigation to the United States and Europe until mid-May, and some of its services for "Seabourn" until November.

The ships are being kept in good condition to be ready to leave as soon as tourism rebounds with the end of the health crisis.

“The crew is on board to maintain vital vessel operations during the break period,” Ms. Kamali explains.

Carnival is currently reviewing the various coronavirus vaccines before deciding what protocols its passengers will need to follow once cruises resume.

"The new vaccines represent a significant breakthrough for the entire world, including the travel, hospitality and cruise industries," said the spokesperson.

The pandemic has seen Cyprus go from a record number of tourist arrivals in 2019 to one of its worst years, with visitor numbers falling 84%.

Arrivals plummeted from nearly four million in 2019 to less than 650,000 last year, according to the statistics department.

Tourism generally contributes 15% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), generating 2.68 billion euros in 2019. The maritime transport sector represents 7% of the GDP.

The island, which has officially recorded more than 35,000 contaminations and 240 deaths, is currently experiencing its second national confinement.

The Cypriot government would earn 120,000 euros per month to accommodate the six ships, according to information from the financial newspaper Financial Mirror.

© 2021 AFP