Seabourn Pursuit recently provided urgent medical support to the community in Chile’s Robinson Crusoe Island, and donated essential supplies to PNG communities impacted by Cyclone Maila. Here, Seabourn’s senior doctor Nicolaas van der Merwe talks exclusively to Karryon about its pursuit to help remote communities.
You might think sailing on board the ultra-luxury Seabourn Pursuit means days on one of the 24 Zodiacs, or with the 19-person expedition team trying to have up-close wildlife encounters in off-the-beaten-track places – and it does, but the state-of-the-art polar class ship has another pursuit you might end up being part of.
“These situations are not planned far in advance and are quite sporadic, and requests can be just one day before arrival,” says van der Merwe.
But, he adds, “in remote communities, even assisting with basic diagnostic capabilities can have a significant impact on patient outcomes”.
In April, when Seabourn Pursuit visited Robinson Crusoe Island in Chile’s Juan Fernández Islands, it did just that, providing medical support to the local community by way of x-rays.
The island, west of Santiago, has no local imaging capability, meaning residents typically need to travel to mainland Chile for diagnostic scans. With limited transport options, this has left a backlog of patients unable to access care.
“In this case, the initiative came directly from a request by local health authorities ahead of the vessel’s arrival,” says van der Merwe.
He says Seabourn doesn’t advertise its services to local communities, but when it receives a request, they always try to assist.
“Requests typically come from the communities or local health officials themselves, often in remote locations with limited access to services.
“Each request is carefully assessed based on medical urgency, feasibility, and the ability to deliver support without impacting the safety and operation of the ship.”
Van der Merw says the result can be a significant impact on local communities.
During this visit, the onboard medical team x-rayed locals aged between four and 71.
“Being able to restore access to x-ray imaging helped local clinicians move forward with care that had been delayed for months.”
This month, during Seabourn Pursuit’s stop at Alotau in Papua New Guinea, the ship coordinated the donation of essential relief supplies to support communities impacted by Cyclone Maila, which devastated parts of the region in April.
The handover took place at the Alotau Provincial Wharf in Milne Bay, where local officials received four tonnes of supplies and “expressed deep appreciation for the support”.
The contribution included fresh produce, non‑perishable food items, sheets, towels, and other hotel supplies sourced directly from the ship, helping support families and communities continuing to recover from the storm’s impact.
While often asked with very little warning, Seabourn’s pursuit to assist local communities will continue, says van der Merwe.
“We will continue to respond to requests for assistance from communities where it is safe and operationally feasible to do so.
“It is a deep privilege to be able to support, and very rewarding.”
For more information, visit Seabourn Pursuit.
