Steamship Authority photo:
WOODS HOLE – The Steamship Authority has implemented new face covering polices for all employees and passengers due to the novel Coronavirus.
The new polices, which take effect immediately, were announced after consideration of best practices in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, Authority officials announced.
All employees of the Authority are required to wear cloth face coverings in public settings, including maintenance facilities, terminals, and vessels, where physical distancing measures are difficult or impossible to maintain.
All passengers when boarding, disembarking, and while onboard Authority vessels are required to wear a cloth face covering in interior passenger areas, including vessel freight decks.
Passengers who choose to remain in their vehicles when boarding will be required to remain inside their vehicles for the duration of their voyage if they do not possess a face covering to wear outside of the vehicle.
Any passenger not utilizing a face covering may have their travel affected, including:
Being queued for boarding onto the vessels separately from passengers using a cloth face covering.
Being directed to sit in a designated exterior seating area or another area as determined by the Port, Captain, or master of the vessel.
Being directed to travel on a different vessel voyage for same-day travel.
Being directed to stay in a vehicle, if available, on the vessel’s freight deck.
Passengers are also strongly encouraged to wear cloth face coverings on terminal property where physical distancing measures are difficult or impossible to maintain.
Face coverings will not be provided for customers from the Authority due to supply deficiencies. Anyone traveling on the Authority’s vessels are advised to bring their own face covering prior to a trip.
Shoreside and vessel personnel will communicate the polices directly to passengers as they board, and additional signage and communications will be introduced in the coming days.
“The Authority’s opinion has been, and continues to be, that it cannot legally deny travel to customers who are not wearing face covering without an executive order from a state or federal authority,” said Steamship Authority General Manager Robert B. Davis.
“By directing those customers who choose not to wear a face covering to designated areas away from other passengers, we feel we have found a practice that will provide a balance between our obligations to provide travel to and from the islands and our sincere desire to keep everyone as safe as possible.”
For more information on the Steamship Authority, click here.
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