The MS Westerdam, with 2257 people aboard, spent almost two weeks at sea unable to successfully negotiate a port at which to dock.
Originally bound for Japan, there were fears that the coronavirus may have spread onboard. The ship finally received authorisation from the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) to dock at Sihanoukville port on 13 February 2020.
The decision placed the international spotlight squarely on how Cambodia would respond to this challenging situation.Upon reaching Cambodia, the first passengers disembarked from the MS Westerdam on Valentine’s Day and were greeted personally by Cambodia’s Samdech Prime Minister Hun Sen.The Westerdam Cruise Ship docked at Sihanoukville Seaport on 13 February 2020.© Pen RothaIn stepping up