Ads by Google Ads by Google

Container ship Fesco Askold, back in port — cleared to unload and load

Fesco Askold, as it pulls up to dock at Pago Pago Harbor
Plan in place for the decontamination of containers and safety of workers
fili@samoanews.com

Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The container vessel, Fesco Askold, with three of its 17 crew members who tested positive for COVID-19, returned to the Port of Pago Pago yesterday afternoon, after being given clearance to off load its cargo, which will go through a decontamination process, carried out by a local company that does the same process for cargo arriving on the weekend cargo flight.

Prior to Fresco Askold’s docking around 12:15 yesterday at the Pago Pago harbor, the vessel’s local agent and the stevedoring company had already submitted to ASG a plan to safely unload the vessel’s cargo, for which several local vendors are waiting.

Additionally, locally owned and based company, Island Safety and Sanitation (ISS) is contracted by the government to conduct the decontamination process.

Responding to Samoa News inquiries, ASG Coronavirus Task Force chairman Iulogologo Joseph Pereira said the vessel was cleared for unloading yesterday and the Health Department and Port Administration along with “vessel agent and the stevedoring have already developed the plan to safely unload the containers containing any accidental transmission.”

He explained that crew from the stevedoring company will wear personal protective equipment (PPEs)  “to ensure the safety of the workers” while ISS performs “ the decontamination actions for all off-loaded containers.”

Asked about the involvement of the vessel’s crew, he said “vessel crew participation in the unloading process is limited and the rest of the crew have been asked to stay out of sight during the unloading process.”

The Fesco Askold arrived this past Sunday at the Port of Pago Pago and by the following morning — after three-crew members tested positive for COVID-19 — the government decision was made with the governor’s approval for the vessel to anchor outside for a minimum of seven days until an assessment is completed.

This was also to provide time to DoH to work with the shipping agent, Port Administration and Custom Division “to determine a viable strategy” for the safe off loading of the cargo and to pick up a minimum of 200 containers of StarkKist products destined for the US.

No information was available at press time as to how long the vessel will be in port for the off loading and loading of cargo before the vessel heads back to the US.

Meanwhile, another container vessel, “Coral Chief”, docked Wednesday at the harbor where DoH conducted virus testing for the vessel’s 20-plus crew members and all came back negative.

The Coral Chief, departed Pago Harbor just before 9a.m. yesterday.