COMMISSION 
AGENDA MEMORANDUM                        Item No.          8h 
ACTION ITEM                            Date of Meeting      March 22, 2022 

DATE:     March 3, 2021 
TO:        Stephen P. Metruck, Executive Director 
FROM:    Stephanie Jones Stebbins, Managing Director, Maritime 
Marie Ellingson, Cruise Operations & Business Development Manager 
SUBJECT:  Port Agreements Under Center for Disease Control's COVID-19 Program for Cruise
Ships 
Amount of this request:                       $0 
Total estimated project cost:                   $0 
ACTION REQUESTED 
Request Commission authorization for the Executive Director  to finalize and sign Port
Agreements under CDC's COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships and amend leases relating to Port
cruise facilities to incorporate such Port Agreements. 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 
The cruise industry COVID-19 protocols incorporate testing, vaccination, screening,
sanitation, enhanced ventilation, mask-wearing, physical distancing, and other proven public
health measures. These protocols were part of CDC's Framework for Conditional Sailing Order 
that facilitated the safe return to sailing in 2021. The port's 2021 cruise season saw over
113,300 disembarking passengers in Seattle. Of those 113,300 passengers, 77 disembarked
having tested positive for COVID, a per capita rate considerably lower than King County
during that period. The safe return of cruising to Seattle helped contribute to the economic
recovery from the pandemic. 
Since the CDC updated its voluntary COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships, Port staff have been
working diligently with cruise lines, the Washington Department of Health and Public Health
Seattle King County. Our efforts are focused on fulfilling the Port's commitment to protect the
health and safety of the community, cruise passengers, crew and others associated with the
cruise operations. 
These Port Agreements will generally cover protections to prevent the spread of COVID onto the
vessels and into the community. However, in the event of an on-board infection does occur, the

Template revised January 10, 2019.

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 8h                                  Page 2 of 3 
Meeting Date: March 22, 2022 
agreements require pre-planning measures to address such an outbreak.  More specifically the
agreements will cover actions by the cruise line to provide transportation, quarantine and
hospitalization of affected crew and passengers. The agreements also will detail the Port's
responsibilities, which will include the duties of our Cruise Terminal Manager (CTA). 
We are aiming to complete these agreements prior to the first scheduled sailings of Cruise ships
in April. 
As summary of the elements that will be included in the agreements are provided below. 
JUSTIFICATION 
CDC Program 
Cruise ship operators have voluntarily chosen to opt-in to CDC's COVID-19 Program for Cruise
Ships. Port Staff is working towards a template agreement that will be substantially similar across
Cruise lines, although each Cruise Line would have a separate Port Agreement. 
These agreements will include and cover the following elements: 
The total number of  ships (including maximum number of passengers and crew)
permitted to operate and jointly consider the number of ships that can safely operate at
any one time without exceeding the ability of local public health, port authority, hospital,
and other emergency response personnel to respond to an onboard outbreak of COVID-
19. 
Requirements for reporting of cases identified during a voyage, including thresholds for
reporting, timelines, reporting mechanisms, and points of contact. 
The agreements  will include a  port operations component, a medical care plan
component, and a housing component addressing the CDC guidance, which will include: 
Embarkation procedures that the cruise ship operator intends to use during
passenger voyages. 
Procedures for day-of-embarkation health screening, laboratory testing of
travelers and management of close contacts. 
Emergency response plans in the event of a "worst case" scenario of multiple ships
experiencing simultaneous outbreaks of COVID-19. 
Protocols for contacting emergency medical services while at port for exigent
circumstances not covered by the hospital component of the agreement (e.g., a
medical emergency not related to COVID-19, such as a heart attack). 
Protocols that avoid medical evacuations at sea to the greatest extent possible. 
Disembarkation procedures that will be implemented in the event of an outbreak
of COVID-19, and that the cruise ship operator intends to use during passenger
voyages. 
Procedures for informing port personnel who are expected to interact with
travelers (passengers and/or crew) of the risks of COVID-19 and how to prevent
exposure. 

Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).

COMMISSION AGENDA  Action Item No. 8h                                  Page 3 of 3 
Meeting Date: March 22, 2022 
Routine and outbreak-level cleaning procedures for areas where travelers are
reasonably expected to gather or otherwise make use of, including terminals and
restrooms. The agreement must also include routine and outbreak-level cleaning
procedures for transportation vehicles under a cruise ship operator's control (e.g.,
buses, shuttle vans). 
Medical care arrangements addressing evacuation and medical transport to
onshore hospitals for passengers or crew in need of care in accordance with CDC
technical instructions. 
Provide for the emergency medical transportation of critically ill persons with
suspected or confirmed COVID-19 from the ship to a shoreside medical facility in
such as manner as to minimize potential for exposure. 
Arrangements with a shoreside medical facility or healthcare system or multiple
shoreside medical facilities or healthcare systems with redundant capacities to
ensure that travelers receive appropriate clinical evaluation, including testing, and
medical care when needed. 
Incorporate housing arrangements for isolation and quarantine of persons with
suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and close contacts, respectively, identified from
the day of embarkation through disembarkation for each voyage, in accordance
with CDC guidance. 
Arrangements in sufficient quantities to meet the transportation needs of all
travelers from the ship to the shoreside housing facilities and from the shoreside
housing facility to the medical facilities or healthcare systems if needed with
precautions in place to avoid exposure of vehicle operators. 
Background and full details of what should be included in Port Agreements is presented in the
CDC's guidance linked below: 
Diversity in Contracting 
Not Applicable. 
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS While there remains uncertainty, currently our forecasted revenue
for the year is $28.8M. This is a realistic, if not conservative, estimate. 
ATTACHMENTS TO THIS BRIEFING 
(1)      CDC COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships Technical Instructions Port Agreements 

PREVIOUS COMMISSION ACTIONS OR BRIEFINGS 
June 08, 2021   Commission authorized the Executive Director to finalize and sign Port
Agreements under CDC's Framework for Conditional Sailing Order and amend leases relating to
Port cruise facilities to incorporate such Port Agreements. 

Template revised June 27, 2019 (Diversity in Contracting).