The government of Singapore is studying the feasibility of using two mid-sized cruise liners as hotel ships to temporarily house foreign workers who had recovered from Coronavirus (COVID-19) and tested negative.
Singapore Tourism Board (STB) revealed in a statement that the potential measure could complement other interim facilities like vacant public housing and military camps.
For the purpose, Singapore's Government is considering using the GHK-Genting Hong Kong-owned vessels (operated by the subsidiary company Star Cruises Asia) SuperStar Gemini and SuperStar Aquarius. Gemini is now berthed at Marina Bay Cruise Centre where she will undergo an assessment to determine her suitability for temporary housing.
Cruise vessels are being looked at as they feature “readily available rooms and en-suite toilets to minimize person-to-person contact." Both cruise ships could accommodate up to 2,000 foreign workers.
In case the low-wage workers are housed there, they'll be allowed scheduled outdoor time and offered mobile phone SIMs and wireless internet surfing. The study comes as Singapore reported 728 new Coronavirus cases in one day. The bulk of those infected come from foreign workers who live in cramped dormitories and housing facilities.
For Coronavirus updates on cruise ship quarantines (infected passengers and crew) and top-pandemic countries (COVID-19 cases and deaths, daily updated statistics) see at CruiseMapper's Norovirus page.