PHNOM PENH: The Westerdam cruise ship with nearly 2,000 multinational tourists on board has paid its second visit to Cambodia, after the COVID-19 crisis.

Coming from Thailand, the cruise ship of 285.22 metres long, 32.25 metres wide, and 8 metres deep docked at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port (SAP) in Preah Sihanouk province this morning, before leaving for Vietnam this evening, at around 21:00.

According to an immigration police officer at SAP international border gate, the ship brings along 1,873 tourists of 43 nationalities, 986 of whom are women, and 776 crewmembers of 37 nationalities, 128 of whom are female.

Most of the tourists are American (870), followed by the Canadians (288), and the British (191), he pointed out. The first visit was made on Dec. 28, 2023, with more than 2,000 multinational visitors on board.

On Feb. 13, 2020, during the COVID-19 outbreak, Cambodia authorised the Westerdam cruise ship to dock at SAP after it was declined by ports in many countries due to suspicion that people on the ship were infected with the deadly disease.

Back then, the ship carried 1,455 multinational passengers and 802 crew members. It had spent 12 days on the ocean before docking at Cambodia's port, thanks to the kind heart of former Prime Minister Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen.