Crew member tests positive for COVID-19 on Hapag-Lloyd operated boxship

Hapag-Lloyd

A crew member on board Mehuin, the Liberia-flagged containership, operated by German liner Hapag-Lloyd, has tested positive for COVID-19.

“The affected person is quarantined and we are hoping for a speedy recovery. All other crew members on the vessel are being isolated, monitored and tested as well,” Hapag-Lloyd said.

The 6,589 TEU containership, built in 2011, is deployed in the company’s South America East Coast (SEC) service.

The vessel is currently located in Santos, Brazil.

The local authorities have ordered that once samples for testing are taken, the vessel shall go back to anchorage in order to comply with 14 days of quarantine.

“Each and every other requirement from the Port Health Authority is being complied with,” the company added.

“We are currently evaluating any potential impact on vessel and cargo operations and berthing dated for the subsequent ports of the rotation will be adjusted accordingly.”

Over the past few months, several of the company’s ships have been faced with coronavirus infections on board.

In August, two crew members on board the 8,600 TEU containership Sofia Express tested positive for COVID-19 while the vessel was at anchor at the Port of Vancouver, Canada.

Previously, Hapag-Lloyd reported coronavirus cases on its two US-flagged ships, Philadelphia Express and St. Louis Express, as well as on Montpellier, a containership deployed on the company’s Middle East India Africa Express (MIAX) service.

All crew members recovered and tested negative for the virus, according to Hapag-Lloyd’s updates.