MSC Cruises Freezes Kenyan Crew Hiring and Boardings Following Ebola Case

MSC Cruises isn’t taking any chances with the health and safety of its passengers and crew, after a recent Ebola case was reported in Kenya.

According to a notice sent to employees, the cruise line has temporarily suspended the embarkation and hiring of Kenyan crew members across its fleet.

Here’s what we know about the developing situation, how it impacts crew deployments, and how long the suspension is supposed to last.

What Triggered the Decision

This sudden decision was triggered by news out of the capital city of Nairobi, where health authorities confirmed a single Ebola case.

The patient was a Kenyan national living in the Democratic Republic of Congo who became sick and traveled back through Uganda to Nairobi, where he later died.

Local authorities in the country have isolated anyone who came into contact with the infected individual, and so far, there have been no reports of secondary spread.

For now, it looks like the cruise line is giving the situation some time to make sure no other cases pop up.

While Ebola has taken the lives of over 2,000 people from 2018-2020, these reported cases were mostly in The Democratic Republic of the Congo.

This recent case in Kenya is the first confirmed case of Ebola in the nation’s history.

According to the Nairobi Law Monthly, MSC Cruises issued an internal operational notice mentioning “recent public health developments” in the country.

The temporary halt in boardings and hirings from Kenya is set in place through October 31, giving the cruise line time to assess the situation and make sure no more cases surface in the country.

Reassurances for Impacted Crew Members

MSC Cruises currently operates 23 cruise ships in its fleet and is widely recognized as the fastest growing cruise line in the world.

According to sources in Kenya, MSC is the single largest employer of Kenyans at sea, with hundreds of crew members from the country working for MSC Cruises.

So, news like this can be hard for both prospective crew members and those currently already hired by the cruise line but between contracts and living in Kenya.

But some leaders like Andrew Mwangura (Former Secretary General for Seafarers Union of Kenya), said that the decision to freeze embarkations of Kenyans is more about caution, saying that the company “highly values Kenyan seafarers”.

“Cruise operators function under extreme health scrutiny. Ships are closed environments where an outbreak can cascade rapidly, threatening passengers, crew, itineraries, and brand reputation. Post-COVID protocols remain institutionalised. When a source country records even a single high-consequence pathogen case, temporary restrictions on crew movement from that nationality become a standard risk-management tool,” Mwangura stated.

Why Cruise Lines Act Fast

To some, putting a freeze on hiring and crew rotations over a single isolated case might seem like an overreaction.

But cruise ships sail with thousands of guests in enclosed environments. The last thing anyone wants is someone on board during an incubation period without knowing they were exposed to the deadly illness.

On top of that some countries and ports of call could deny entry to an entire vessel if they even suspect a disease like this could be a possibility.

Ebola has a standard monitoring window of up to 21 days. MSC Cruises set its suspension through October 31, which fits with that standard incubation cycle.

It should be noted that Ebola is not like COVID-19. It is not an airborne respiratory virus. Ebola only spreads through direct contact with infected bodily fluids. While it does carry a high mortality rate, the disease is easier to contain and isolate.

For now, we hope and pray this disease does not spread and that after 21 days Kenyans will once again be able to join the MSC fleet. Many from this country serve in hotel and hospitality, with some workers also offering their services in the engine departments.