australian cruises and covid

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A cruise ship with 800 covid cases docks in Sydney

An earlier version of this story said the Ruby Princess cruise ship is owned by Carnival Cruise Line. The ship is owned by the Carnival Corporation. The story has been corrected.

A cruise ship carrying some 800 people who have tested positive for the coronavirus docked in downtown Sydney on Saturday, triggering memories of a deadly ship-related outbreak in Australia’s largest city in the early, pre-vaccine days of the pandemic.

The Majestic Princess, which returned from New Zealand, is carrying more than 4,000 people, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp (ABC). Princess Cruises, the cruise line, said in a statement that all guests onboard took a rapid antigen test within 24 hours of disembarking and that passengers who had tested positive would exit separately and not take public transport. Australia no longer requires people who have tested positive for the virus to isolate, though local authorities have issued guidance that covid patients onboard ships should isolate for five days after testing positive.

“Our onboard medical team will continue to support guests until they disembark,” Princess Cruises said in a statement. It did not respond to a question about whether customers who had tested positive could isolate onboard until they recovered, though the company said it would help guests access accommodation for isolation. The Majestic Princess was scheduled to soon sail to Melbourne, Australia’s second-largest city.

The health department of New South Wales, the state in which Sydney is located, said in a separate statement that patients had been isolating onboard. State authorities said that there was a “Tier 3” covid risk level aboard the Majestic Princess, indicating a “high level of transmission.”

Cruise ships have been a potent incubator for the coronavirus. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention monitored such ships for transmission at sea for about two years ; it also warned against cruise travel amid the omicron spike during last year’s holiday season. The CDC still recommends getting vaccinated and taking a coronavirus test before boarding a cruise ship.

In early 2020, Carnival Corporation’s Ruby Princess allowed thousands of passengers to disembark in Sydney, placing the cruise ship at the center of one of Australia’s largest covid outbreaks. At least 28 people died and 700 cases were linked to the ship, according to the ABC . Another Carnival ship, the Diamond Princess , also logged 12 Covid-related fatalities earlier that year, including the first Australian national to die of the virus.

But the country has since lifted coronavirus restrictions on international travel: Proof of vaccination or a negative coronavirus test are no longer required for entry, and mask-wearing on international flights is encouraged but not mandatory, according to Australia’s Department of Health and Aged Care.

The absence of restrictions is a far cry from how Australia first handled the pandemic. Sydney, the commercial capital, enacted a 106-day lockdown in 2021, while Melbourne endured the world’s longest stay-at-home lockdown. Australia also closed its borders to nearly all international travelers for nearly two years , reopening in February. It deported tennis ace Novak Djokovic for being unvaccinated, preventing him from competing in this year’s Australian Open. The country has one of the lowest covid death rates in the Western world.

One side effect of cruise covid rules: Norovirus has plummeted

Australia’s reopening came after it achieved one of the world’s highest immunization rates. As of Nov. 9, nearly 96 percent of residents older than 16 have received two doses of a coronavirus vaccine . The country of 25.7 million people reported a seven-day rolling average of 12 deaths on Friday, or about half that of a month ago.

But New South Wales authorities said this week that the state had entered a new wave of the pandemic, and some medical experts fear that the upcoming holiday season will trigger a spike in infections that could challenge the hospital system in a country that has removed virtually all curbs on the virus.

“If the major public hospitals on the east coast aren’t overwhelmed with patients and facing staff shortages over the holiday break - I’ll donate $1000 to charity,” tweeted physician Steve Robson, president of the Australian Medical Association, in response to news of infections on board the Majestic Princess. (Most of Australia’s population lives on its east coast.)

Katerina Ang contributed to this report.

More Than 800 Passengers Got COVID On A Cruise Ship, Which Then Let People Off In Australia

The cases are all mild or asymptomatic.

BuzzFeed News Reporter

The Majestic Princess cruise ship docked at the International Terminal at Circular Quay in Sydney on Nov. 12, 2022.

Passengers on a cruise ship where more than 800 people tested positive for COVID-19 disembarked on Saturday in Sydney.

The Majestic Princess returned from a 12-day voyage to New Zealand carrying more than 4,000 people, according to the Australian Broadcasting Corp . That means 20% of the people on board got COVID.

Marguerite Fitzgerald, the president of the ship’s cruise operator Carnival Australia, said at a Saturday press conference that cases started to rise about halfway through the trip. She also said that all cases were mild or asymptomatic.

A spokesperson for the ship’s cruise line, Princess Cruises, said in a statement that all guests on board took rapid antigen tests within 24 hours of disembarking. Those who tested positive were told to exit separately from others and to avoid public transportation. Cruise line staff were also helping people who were positive find accommodations to continue isolating, Princess Cruises Senior Vice President Stuart Allison said in a statement to Australian outlet 9 News .

The Majestic Princess prepares to depart from Sydney in November 2022.

In an additional statement to CNN , Fitzgerald said the cruise operator has been implementing “the most rigorous and strict measures which go well above current guidelines,” including testing staff and passengers for COVID before they board and requiring 95% of guests over the age of 12 to be vaccinated. She said that Carnival Australia ships have made more than 50 voyages, “with a vast majority of more than 100,000 guests unimpacted by COVID.”

“However, the emergence of COVID in the community has meant we have seen a rise in positive cases on the last three voyages,” she added.

The Majestic Princess has since continued on to Melbourne, carrying 220 people from the original New Zealand cruise, SBS News reported . That means at least 580 people who got COVID on the ship disembarked in Sydney.

The Majestic Princess docked in Sydney

After Australia closed its borders for two years, tourism is back in the country, and neither proof of vaccination nor a negative COVID test is required to enter. The country also no longer requires people with positive COVID tests to isolate, but local authorities in New South Wales advised individuals who test positive to isolate for five days after. These relaxed guidelines serve as a sharp contrast with Australia's once-intense COVID regulations .

Carnival cruise ships have been incubators for COVID in the past. In March 2020, the Ruby Princess allowed thousands of passengers to disembark in Sydney. At least 700 cases were linked to the ship, and at least 28 people died, according to the ABC . There were 12 COVID-related fatalities later that year linked to the Diamond Princess .

“Didn’t… didn’t we already do this?” one Twitter user wrote in response to the news about the 800 COVID cases on the Majestic Princess .

Other users are raising questions about how safe it is to cruise while the pandemic is ongoing, even if vaccines provide protection against severe illness.

The Twindenberg @jonkudelka I didn’t understand why anyone would pay to go on a cruise ship before covid but seriously how much would you have to hate yourself to do it now? 12:33 AM - 12 Nov 2022 Reply Retweet Favorite

The Cockatoo @DarcyAmaroo Back to square one. That’s how it started. A cruise ship docking with hundreds of cases of Covid on board. Why would you go on a crowded cruise ship with Covid still spreading through the population? 08:32 PM - 11 Nov 2022 Reply Retweet Favorite

covid is not over @twee_i_a I get it, I really do. The need 2 get back to a "normal life" is absolutely critical for all of us. But we are going to have to realize that for ALL of us to have any hope of doing that, many of us are going to have to change the way we go about things. Cruises are not necessary. 07:26 PM - 11 Nov 2022 Reply Retweet Favorite

MelissaD 🔥💧🐨🌱💓🌍 😷 @D_Melissa2 If cruise ships are going to have 800+ Covid-19 🦠 + cases of people disembarking from them we really need to talk about responsibilities to the community. 11:12 PM - 11 Nov 2022 Reply Retweet Favorite

Topics in this article

Cruise ship docks in Sydney after 800 people on board infected by COVID outbreak

• A cruise ship where 800 people on board have tested positive for COVID has docked in Sydney.
• The president of the cruise operator said cases began to rise halfway through the voyage. 
•  54,661 cases of COVID were reported across Australia in the last week. 

A cruise ship suffering a major COVID outbreak has docked in Sydney, Australia.

The BBC reports that approximately 4,600 passengers and crew were aboard the luxury Majestic Princess, and 800 people were affected by the outbreak of the viral bug. 

President of the cruise operator Carnival Australia Marguerite Fitzgerald told ABC Australia that they began seeing many cases halfway through the 12-day cruise around New Zealand, with all cases either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic. 

She told the news outlet, "Reflective of the increase in community transmissions, we too have seen more guests test positive for COVID-19 on the current voyage of Majestic Princess. This is a result of mass testing of our 3,300 guests."

She added that staff would be assisting all COVID-positive guests "with accessing private transport and accommodation to complete their isolation period," according to ABC. 

One passenger told ABC, per The Guardian: "It was scary because we heard about it, but of course, we tested negative, and the Majestic Princess were really good with the protocols. [We] wore masks for these last seven days, and we were very careful when we went ashore."

Related stories

Carnival Australia did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. 

COVID cases are spiking across Australia, with 54,661 cases reported across the country in the last week, said The Guardian.

According to Reuters , Australian authorities have been working to assure the public that this ship outbreak is under control. Home Affairs Minister Clare O'Neil said that authorities had created "regular protocols" since the March-April 2020 Ruby Princess outbreak when hundreds caught COVID-19-linked an Australian cruise around the coast of New Zealand, and 28 people died.

O'Neil told Reuters that the authorities are determining how to get passengers off the Majestic Princess "on a case-by-case basis."

The ship will soon depart for Melbourne, Australia.

Watch: The rise and fall of the cruise industry

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Australia seeks to reassure citizens on COVID after cruise ship outbreak

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Reporting by Sam McKeith in Sydney; Editing by William Mallard

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Princess Cruises lifts Covid-19 protocols for most voyages

Majestic Princess in Singapore, June 2017.

The change applies to all itineraries sailing from US and European homeports except destinations where government regulations, such as Australia and New Zealand, may still have their own requirements.

Beginning October 21, Princess Cruises is lifting its Covid-19 protocols, meaning there are no longer vaccination or testing requirements on most voyages. Guests sailing with Princess Cruises will no longer have to provide a negative test result, regardless of their vaccination status.

The cruise line already changed its protocols on September 6, when it removed the need for test results for vaccinated guests. This has now been updated to include unvaccinated guests. Children under five do not require pre-travel testing. The minimum age to sail is 6 months or 12 months based on the cruise itinerary.

A small number of sailings that the cruise line calls “enhanced guidelines voyages” also continue to have their own vaccination and testing requirements. Guests are advised to continue to check the requirements for their cruise before booking and again before it’s time to sail.

Canada On September 26, Transport Canada announced that it was removing its COVID-19 requirements for cruise guests to enter the country effective for cruises October 1 and beyond. Visitors are also no longer required to upload their information into the ArriveCAN app. Thus, protocols for cruises including Canada are now the same as the standard in the United States, United Kingdom & Europe (this excludes any Enhanced Guidelines Voyages).

Australia & New Zealand If cruise departs, arrives or visits Australia guests 12 to 17 years old must be fully vaccinated (no booster). Guests ages 18 or older must have received primary series of COVID-19 vaccines including one booster dose if eligible, received any time before embarkation.

Guests aged 18 years or older who are not up to date require a vaccination exemption to sail. Guests 12 and older not fully vaccinated on cruises departing, arriving or visiting Australia require a medical exemption and have different testing requirements. Under local protocols, prior infection with COVID-19 is not grounds for a medical exemption. Medical exemptions need to be submitted to Princess for validation before a booking can be guaranteed.

Vicky Karantzavelou

Vicky  is the co-founder of TravelDailyNews Media Network where she is the  Editor-in Chief . She is also responsible for the daily operation and the financial policy. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Tourism Business Administration from the Technical University of Athens and a Master in Business Administration (MBA) from the University of Wales.

She has many years of both academic and industrial experience within the travel industry. She has written/edited numerous articles in various tourism magazines.

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Cruise Ship With 800 Covid-Positive Passengers And Crew Docked In Sydney

After cases soared, a cruise ship with 800 Covid-positive passengers docked in Sydney , Australia.The wave of infections spread around both passengers and crew members on a cruise ship sailing from New Zealand.

The Majestic Princess cruise ship was halfway through a 12- day voyage when the outbreak happened. Cases increasingly spread which led to mass Covid-19 testing for 3,300 passengers on board. Of these passengers, 800 tested positive alongside a few crew members.

According to CNN, the ship had 4,600 passengers and crew on board in total.

Related: Disney Cruise Line Presents Marvel Day At Sea

Cruise ship with 800 Covid-positive passengers docked in Sydney:

The uptick in cases has been linked to the rise of infections in Australia.

In a media briefing, Carnival Australia president Marguerite Fitzgerald told reporters that a large number of the cases were detected at least halfway into the voyage, adding that all cases were either asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic.

She also highlighted that all guests who tested positive will have help “with accessing private transport and accommodation to complete their isolation period”. Fitzgerald added that Carnival Australia maintains the most stringent of measures to keep all safe onboard, including requiring 95% of guests over the age of 12 to be vaccinated and testing staff and passengers for Covid before they board.

The incident is reminiscent of the outbreak on the ship Ruby Princess, which belongs to the same operator, earlier in the pandemic. When asked about the comparison, the BBC shares that Fitzgerald responded: “Since then, we as a community have learnt a lot, a lot more about Covid.”

According to reports, the Majestic Princess will soon depart for Melbourne.

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Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care

COVID-19 and travel

Find out about travel requirements and steps you can take to stay safe.

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Domestic travel within Australia

Domestic travel requirements are determined by state and territory governments. Check the websites of local health departments for information about travel to:

• Australian Capital Territory
• New South Wales
• Northern Territory
• South Australia
• Western Australia .

Travelling overseas

The Australian Government does not currently have any COVID-19 requirements in place for travellers entering and departing Australia.

COVID-19 however continues to pose a health risk in Australia and overseas. We strongly encourage wearing masks and being vaccinated while travelling internationally. You should practice good cough and hand hygiene, and physically distance from others where possible.

Some countries, airlines and vessel operators may have COVID-19 travel requirements in place. Check the requirements of any:

• countries you are travelling to, or transiting through
• airlines or vessel operators.
• Smartraveller website
• Australian Government – international travel information .

Travel insurance

Travel insurance is important if you become sick with COVID-19 overseas. Make sure your insurance includes:

• transit destinations
• inclusions for COVID-19
• other add-ons like cruise specific insurance.

Some destinations also require travellers to hold travel insurance as a condition of entry.

Cruise travel

Check with your cruise provider or travel agent for up-to-date travel requirements for your ship and destination/s. You can also contact the relevant state or territory government to find out if any requirements apply for your destination.

Outbreaks onboard a cruise

Cruise ships carry a higher risk for spreading disease compared to other types of travel. COVID-19, influenza, and other infectious diseases spread easily between people living and socialising in close quarters.

If an outbreak of COVID-19 occurs on your cruise, you may need to:

• quarantine on the ship
• disembark and follow the local rules in the state or territory or country you are in.

Before you travel, check the  Smartraveller advice on cruises . Contact your travel agent or cruise operator for specific information on their COVID-19 safety protocols.

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Do I need a COVID vaccine to cruise? A line-by-line guide

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Editor’s note: This post has been updated with new information.

When the first cruises allowing Americans restarted in spring 2021, all major lines were sailing with at least 90% of passengers vaccinated against COVID-19. That meant they required just about everyone on board to have their shots, with only a few exceptions allowed for young children and people who can’t be vaccinated due to medical conditions or religious beliefs.

Since then, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has withdrawn its opt-in guidance for cruise lines, and most are now allowing unvaccinated passengers to sail. In fact, most aren’t even checking to see if cruisers are vaccinated or not.

However, with cases picking up seasonally and new booster vaccines rolling out, will you need a vaccine to cruise? Click on your favorite cruise line above, under “Jump to Section,” to find out.

For more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG’s new cruise newsletter .

Note: In order to be considered “fully vaccinated,” passengers must have received their final shot (not including boosters) at least 15 days prior to embarkation. Most lines only accept vaccines (or a combination of vaccines) recognized and approved by the World Health Organization and the CDC. Generally, proof of inoculation must include your name, the type of vaccine you received and the dates on which you received all required doses.

Booster shots are not required unless specifically noted. However, keep in mind that the rules may vary by country, with some lines requiring boosters for international departures due to local regulations or for extra-long sailings like ocean crossings when port calls are few or nonexistent. Passengers who have their boosters are considered “up to date” rather than merely “fully vaccinated.”

For general information on testing, please refer to our article on cruise testing requirements .

AmaWaterways

Vaccine required no.

AmaWaterways no longer requires proof of vaccination for passengers. However, cruisers are responsible for meeting the requirements of the countries in which they’ll be traveling. If they do not, standard cancellation fees will apply. Pre-cruise testing is not required. Should passengers become ill during their cruise, AmaWaterways will assist in procuring testing and other medical services, which will be the financial responsibility of those guests.

American Cruise Lines

American Cruise Lines does not have a vaccine requirement for all passengers on any of its sailings. Pre-cruise testing is no longer required.

American Queen Voyages

Vaccines are not required to sail with American Queen Voyages , and pre-cruise testing is no longer required.

Related: What happens if someone tests positive for COVID-19 on your cruise

Atlas Ocean Voyages

Vaccination is not mandatory for Atlas cruises, but passengers must comply with regulations in countries on their scheduled itinerary, which could require that they be up to date on their shots. Additionally, pre-cruise testing is no longer a requirement.

Avalon Waterways

Avalon Waterways no longer requires proof of vaccination or a negative test prior to passenger boarding. However, mandatory testing and proof of vaccination could still be required in some countries the line visits.

Azamara recommends that passengers follow local regulations and the latest guidance from government health organizations when determining which vaccines to obtain prior to travel. The line also does not require negative test results in order to board unless mandated by local governments in the ports where the line’s ships sail.

Carnival Cruise Line

Neither vaccines nor pre-cruise testing is required for Carnival sailings. However, the line recommends that anyone 5 years or older be up to date on their shots and carry proof. It also suggests that cruisers test themselves no further than three days from their sailing date to make sure they’re in good health.

Celebrity Cruises

Celebrity does not mandate vaccination or testing for any passenger on any sailing unless required by regulations in the ports its ships are visiting.

Related: Cruise ship contact tracing: How the world’s major lines are tracking COVID-19 exposure

Celestyal Cruises

Celestyal continues to require all crew members to be fully vaccinated, but passengers don’t have to be. The line recommends anyone 12 and older be up to date on their inoculations. Testing is also no longer necessary in order to board Celestyal ships.

Cunard Line

Although Cunard suggests that travelers be fully vaccinated and current with their boosters, proof of immunization is not required, nor is pre-cruise testing for any of the line’s sailing unless required by law.

Disney Cruise Line

Disney Cruise Line encourages — but does not require — all passengers to be fully vaccinated before sailing. It also recommends pre-cruise testing, no more than two days prior to embarkation, for anyone who doesn’t have their shots.

Emerald Cruises

Emerald Cruises suggests that all passengers be vaccinated, but it no longer checks for proof. Pre-cruise testing is also no longer required, but the line advises travelers to check local regulations in the places they’ll be visiting.

Grand Circle Cruise Line

Vaccine required yes.

Grand Circle has mandated that all passengers must be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to embarkation as a condition of carriage, and proof must be provided before boarding. Passengers who are not fully vaccinated will have to return home at their own expense. Boosters are not mandatory. Pre-cruise testing might be required, depending on your port of embarkation. (The line will send you that information prior to your sailing.)

Hapag-Lloyd Cruises

Hapag-Lloyd does not require vaccinations or pre-cruise testing as a condition of sailing. However, the line recommends both to passengers as precautions. It also advises that cruisers are responsible for knowing and adhering to all local guidelines and regulations.

Holland America

Holland America now allows unvaccinated passengers to sail and does not make pre-cruise testing compulsory unless either of these is required by local regulations in the areas its vessels sail. Booked cruisers can search for requirements specific to their individual sailings by using this tool .

Hurtigruten

Vaccine required sometimes.

On expedition cruises with Hurtigruten , passengers are not required to show proof of vaccination, except on 2023 and 2024 voyages to Antarctica and the Northwest Passage or West Africa sailings departing from and returning to Dakar. Immunization is also not necessary for the line’s non-expedition itineraries, but it is recommended for both coastal voyages and expedition cruises. Neither type of cruise requires negative test results as a condition of embarkation. Passengers with reservations can check specific protocols for their specific bookings using this tool .

Lindblad Expeditions

Lindblad passengers no longer need to provide proof of vaccination in order to cruise, and pre-cruise testing is no longer required, including at embarkation. Exceptions might apply for departures from certain destinations. The line urges passengers to follow government recommendations for masking, testing and vaccination.

Related: Why I feel safer now on a cruise ship than in my hometown

MSC Cruises

Vaccination and testing are no longer terms of carriage when sailing with MSC Cruises . The line still recommends that passengers receive their shots and notes that it’s each passenger’s responsibility to comply with local regulations in the places their sailing visits.

Norwegian Cruise Line

In early August 2022, Norwegian Cruise Line became the first major cruise line to roll back its vaccination requirements. Proof of immunization is no longer required, nor is testing in order to board for any voyage.

Oceania Cruises

Upscale cruise line Oceania does not check vaccination records for passengers, nor does it require pre-cruise testing for its sailings.

P&O Cruises

There are no vaccination or testing mandates in place for any of P&O Cruises ‘ voyages.

Ponant ‘s website simply reads, “when you visit certain destinations, vaccines can be recommended,” but they are not required by the line. Ponant also says it will alert passengers to their specific requirements after they have booked a voyage. Testing is also not needed in order to board.

Princess Cruises

Following an industry-wide rollback of protocols, Princess passengers no longer have to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine, nor proof of a negative test result, unless either is required by local regulations. Passengers are responsible for knowing the requirements for the places their ships will visit.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises

Regent doesn’t check the vaccination status of any of its passengers unless required by local protocols. Testing requirements vary by location and might depend on whether or not you are up to date on your shots. If vaccination or testing is required, the line will alert cruisers approximately 30 days prior to their sailing date.

Royal Caribbean

To board Royal Caribbean ships, you don’t have to be vaccinated or provide test results. However, the line advises staying up to date on inoculations and following guidelines issued by federal health authorities.

Saga has rolled back its vaccination and testing requirements, which is significant, given that the line only allows passengers 50 and older to sail on its vessels. They will only be required if local authorities dictate them.

Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours

Passengers embarking on river and ocean voyages with Scenic will not need to be fully immunized prior to sailing. Testing is not required by the line but might be needed to enter the country in which you’re embarking on your sailing. Passengers are responsible for meeting entry requirements.

For cruises with luxury line Seabourn , there are no line-enforced regulations for vaccination or testing unless required by local authorities in the countries on which its vessels call. To see if your booked sailing requires either of these, check out the line’s search tool .

Luxury brand Silversea does not require shots for its passengers or pre-cruise tests unless they’re needed to meet local regulations.

Star Clippers

Star Clippers has eliminated all vaccine checks and testing protocols for all passengers on all voyages.

For all voyages through 2023, Tauck requires passengers 12 and older to be fully vaccinated and have at least one booster dose and/or show proof of recovery from COVID-19. Passengers 11 years old and younger are not required to be fully vaccinated. If they aren’t fully vaccinated or don’t have a booster, they must provide proof of a negative PCR or antigen test result from a test taken no more than three days prior to embarkation. For sailings in 2024, vaccination and testing requirements will be waived for all passengers.

UnCruise Adventures

All UnCruise passengers are exempt from vaccine and testing requirements. The line will continue to monitor the effects of new variants, as well as CDC recommendations and will adjust its policies accordingly.

Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Testing requirements are determined by the countries the ships visit, but the line itself has no vaccine or testing mandates of its own. You can check the protocols for the places on your itinerary for the most up-to-date information by visiting the protocols page on Uniworld’s website .

All Viking passengers, whether on a river sailing or an ocean voyage, must be fully vaccinated for sailings departing on or before Oct. 31, 2023. It will not be required for cruisers embarking on or after Nov. 1, 2023. Testing is no longer required unless passengers are exhibiting symptoms and seek medical assistance.

Virgin Voyages

Virgin Voyages will not check proof of immunization or a negative COVID-19 test prior to boarding.

Windstar Cruises

Windstar no longer mandates shots for passengers of any age. Testing is not required by the line but might be necessary based on local regulations, which with passengers must comply.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• 15 ways cruisers waste money
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Australia, Britain, US Drop Defence Trade Barriers to Propel AUKUS

FILE PHOTO: U.S. President Joe Biden, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and then British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak deliver remarks on the Australia - United Kingdom - U.S. (AUKUS) partnership, after a trilateral meeting, at Naval Base Point Loma in San Diego, California U.S. March 13, 2023. REUTERS/Leah Millis/File Photo

By Kirsty Needham

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Australia, the United States and Britain have removed significant barriers on defence trade between the AUKUS partners and opened the way for faster approvals for highly sensitive technologies, Australian officials said.

The move is seen as a significant step for Australia to acquire U.S. nuclear-powered attack submarines and jointly develop with the U.S. and Britain a new class of conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarine over the next two decades.

The AUKUS partners are also developing advanced defence technology spanning hypersonic missiles, undersea drones and quantum technologies, with the reforms expected to speed up the transition of these projects from research to production.

The United States is Australia's closest security ally, but had restricted sharing of closely guarded defence technology, which is governed by the U.S. International Trafficking in Arms Regulations (ITAR).

There had been delays by the U.S. State Department in finalising exemptions for Australia and Britain under ITAR, which required the AUKUS partners to show they had export control regimes equivalent to the United States.

Eliminating the need for export licences for much defence technology will take effect from Sept. 1, Australian officials said on Thursday, with Defence Minister Richard Marles calling it a "generational change".

"These critical reforms will revolutionise defence trade, innovation and cooperation, enabling collaboration at the speed and scale required to meet our challenging strategic circumstances," he said in a statement.

The U.S. issues around 3,800 defence export control licences for Australia each year which have taken up to 18 months to approve, while approvals in Britain have taken 100 days.

From next month, 70% of defence exports from the U.S. to Australia previously under ITAR will be licence free.

An Excluded Technologies List will be released by the U.S. showing sensitive technologies that will continue to require a licence, to be reviewed annually.

The U.S. State Department will have a 45-day window to decide on the transfer of technologies on the excluded list between governments and industry, and 30-days for government-to-government transfers.

Over 80% of goods subject to control by the U.S. Commerce Department as "dual use" military and civilian technologies will also become licence free for Australia from September.

Australia has eliminated 900 export permits on defence goods worth A$5 billion to the U.S. and Britain, officials said.

Under a deal signed in 2021, the United States will sell Australia between three and five Virginia-class attack submarines from the early 2030s as a stopgap while Australia and Britain build a new SSN-AUKUS class, that will include U.S. technologies, due roughly a decade later.

(Reporting by Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Editing by Crispian Balmer)

Copyright 2024 Thomson Reuters .

Photos You Should See - July 2024

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