Testing of the two vessels showed 25 positive cases. The ships normally hold about 130 crew members each.

Currently the American Triumph and Northern Jaeger are in port at Bellingham to unload their capture.

“On the Northern Jaeger, one crew member reported feeling ill on-board last week and was transported to the hospital where they have tested negative for covid-19. The crew member is in the hospital recovering from their illness,” announced American Seafood Company.

A third vessel, the American Dynasty, suffered an outbreak that resulted in 94 positive cases (86 at the time of her arrival in Bellingham and eight more). Since then, the Dynasty has moved to Seattle, and its crew have moved into quarantine housing administered by King County.

The outbreak onboard the American Dynasty forced Trident Seafoods to briefly shutter their manufacturing plant next to the Bellingham pier where the Dynasty was lodged. There were no known incidents of direct interaction between shoreside workers and crew on the ship, but Trident and Bellingham Cold Storage (BCS) operator have taken additional precautionary steps to mitigate risk.

The outbreaks of the American Seafoods come as Alaska 's summer fisheries begin, raising fears that the precautionary steps taken to keep COVID out of remote fishing ports in Alaska might not be sufficient.

Maritime Business World