As part of the deal, creditors will be expected to pay only the necessary costs of running the ship while in port, Carnival announced.

According to Carnival, if necessary, cruise ships can be provisioned quickly to act as hospitals with up to 1,000 emergency rooms that can handle patients with less serious, non-COVID-19 conditions.

These temporary cruise ship hospital rooms can be converted easily to mount and attach remote patient monitoring equipment through the ship's high-speed network – offering facilities for cardiac, respiratory, oxygen saturation and video monitoring. The rooms also feature bathroom facilities, private balconies with sun and fresh air access, as well as isolation capabilities as needed.

In addition, cruise ships used as temporary hospital facilities for treating non-COVID-19 patients will have the capacity to have up to seven intensive care units (ICUs) in the ship's medical center fitted with central cardiac monitoring, ventilators, and other primary medical equipment and capabilities, Carnival says.

Cruise ships can also house several medical functions in various locations, similar to land-based health facilities, using different decks on the ship to distinguish each medical area required.

The temporary hospital cruise ships will be stationed at a pier near the vulnerable community and run by the crew of the ship, with all maritime activities, food and beverage, and cleaning facilities already on the ship provided by the crew. 

The government body or hospital responsible for preventing the spread of COVID-19 within that population will be delivering medical services.

Maritime Business World