The reception protocol for the cruise MV Hondius at the port of Granadilla de Abona defines an extreme containment operation for next Sunday. The consignor, Gibunco Ship Agency, assumes the management of the land transport of the 147 passengers under a rigorous supervision of External Health. Disembarkation will take place directly at sea, using zodiac boats provided by the shipowner to transport the occupants in groups of no more than five people, strictly respecting their nationality.
The port logistics establishes a maximum security zone in Granadilla where luggage will be processed after being disinfected by the crew. The medical evacuation plan prioritizes any symptomatic passenger, who would be immediately redirected to the isolation unit of the Hospital de la Candelaria without stepping on solid ground conventionally. The rest of the passengers and close contacts will follow a bubble itinerary that avoids any interaction with the local environment.
Follow the ship’s position live here using the Gibunco AIS locator and satellite platforms. The buses provided by the consignor will pick up travelers at the dock for a critical ten-minute journey to Tenerife South Airport. The United States, United Kingdom, and Netherlands have already guaranteed the dispatch of aircraft for immediate repatriation, ensuring that access to the planes will be made directly from the runway.
The bus transport imposes a ‘critical distance’ safety configuration with passengers seated in a zigzag pattern and a minimum separation of two meters. The first three rows of the Gibunco vehicles will remain closed to protect the driver, who will operate with FFP2 equipment and strict hygiene protocols. The natural ventilation system will replace air conditioning, keeping the windows open throughout the journey to the cargo terminal.
The mooring operation requires the captain of the Hondius to ensure a ‘clean’ and disinfected corridor for the port pilot if docking is necessary. All workers involved in the maneuver have submitted their full affiliation to External Health for subsequent epidemiological monitoring in case of a barrier failure. The deceased registered on board will remain on the ship until its final destination in the Netherlands, following negotiations between the Canary Islands Government and the Dutch consulate.
The comprehensive disinfection of the vessel is poised to be the last logistic friction point between Spanish authorities and the Embassy of the Netherlands. The Canary Islands Government is pressuring for the ship and crew to complete the deep cleaning process at Central European ports, minimizing the residual risk in the islands. Gibunco Ship Agency remains officially silent while coordinating a fleet of vehicles that must be disinfected after each transfer to bring the biological crisis in Tenerife to a close.
