During the cessation of activity due to the pandemic, which has severely impacted the cruise sector, shipping companies have taken advantage of this break to improve prevention and safety against COVID, in order to begin making stops in European ports with greater confidence.
Atlantic Vigo Cruise Terminal, with the aim of improving and going further, has dedicated its efforts to obtaining the Biological Risk Control certificate, issued by OCA Global, which guarantees to its clients (shipping companies), workers and suppliers, compliance with safety, prevention and control measures against the transmission of diseases caused by biological agents, especially COVID-19.
Among the measures to be implemented on the first cruise ship stop, in addition to those ordered by the State Ports and Health protocol, are the following:
- Hand gel.
- Complete separation of inflow and outflow.
- Capacity limitations.
- Ventilation.
- Temperature measurement.
- Tray cleaning.
- Security guard shifts.
- Disinfectant mats.
- O2 concentration measuring sensor.
- Terminal R&D Project.
Terminal R&D project, candidate for Ports 4.0 funding
After analyzing the risks and preventive measures at the terminal, the company has participated in an R&D project, together with the companies GTG engineers and Point Medio Ambiente.
The main issue to be resolved was to improve prevention against COVID-19, without causing delays in passenger logistics, since shipping companies value smooth traffic for embarkation and disembarkation.
This project has been selected as one of the candidates for the Ports 4.0 funds from State Ports and can be divided into three parts:
- Tunnel for disinfecting suitcases and personal items at passenger entrance and exit.
- Equipment with forced ventilation, HEPA filter, UV-C light and bipolar ionizer.
- Thermal imaging cameras in security arch.
Atlantic Vigo Cruise Terminal wants to send a message to shipping companies to continue considering the city of Vigo as a key destination and to highlight the newest terminal in Europe, inaugurated in 2019 with state-of-the-art equipment, once cruise ship calls resume.
