Ship from Ebola-struck country to dock in Falmouth

A ship from a West African country hit by the deadly Ebola virus will be docking in Falmouth next month. The 38,000 tonne vessel is coming to the port for a refit, and is expected to remain for up to two weeks.

Falmouth Docks today confirmed that the vessel will be arriving from Sierra Leone. The country is one of the areas hit worst by the virus; just days ago the RFA Argus headed out there to help fight the spread of the disease.

The ship is called the Gypsum Centennial, and is used to carry iron from an inland mine to Freetown, the country’s capital. From there she’ll start her journey to the Queen Elizabeth Dock in Falmouth for her million pound refit.

The head of the firm carrying out the work says they'll follow Government guidelines. A sister ship from Sierra Leone was in the port over the summer and there were no problems.

The docks say they're confident there's no risk to their workforce

The Cornwall Port Health Authority is responsible for monitoring all vessels coming into Falmouth. They say the risk of Ebola in the UK is small, and that no special measures are required for the Gypsum Centennial. However, they will be seeking assurances from the captain that his crew are in good health.