By
Cherie Rowlands |
Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the European Cruise Council (ECC) have outlined the three latest safety policies adopted by the global cruise industry, as outcomes of the Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review.
The new measures – which exceed current international guidelines – focus on lifejacket stowage, storage of heavy objects and bridge operating procedures.
President and CEO of CLIA Christine Duffy said: “These three new policies build upon the other seven wide-ranging policies that the global cruise industry has proactively adopted since January of this year and are helping improve the safety of passengers and crew, which is our industry’s top priority. We look forward to continuing our ongoing collaboration with numerous stakeholders across the globe to further enhance our exceptionally strong safety record.”
Under the new Location of Lifejacket Stowage policy, lifejackets – either equal to or greater than, the number required by international regulations and the ship’s flag State – are to be stowed near muster stations or lifeboat embarkation points on newbuild ships, to allow easier access for both crew members and passengers.
The Securing Heavy Objects policy requires ocean-going CLIA and ECC member lines to have procedures in place for securing heavy objects either permanently, when not in use, or during severe weather. To further safeguard passengers and crew from injury, member lines should perform ship-wide inspections to ensure heavy objects such as pianos, televisions, treadmills and laundry equipment, are fully secured. Final implementation of this policy is expected in the coming months.
The Harmonisation of Bridge Procedures policy within CLIA and ECC ocean-going member lines, is designed to achieve consistency in operating procedures within commonly owned and operated vessels and brands. As members of a ship’s bridge team frequently rotate among different ships, consistent bridge procedures will improve onboard and inter-company communications to enhance operational safety.
“The broad range of these three new policies is representative of the truly holistic nature of the operational safety review and demonstrates that safety improvements are being made wherever there is scope to do so,” said ECC chairman Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio. “Furthermore, these policies again highlight our members’ commitment to harmonising safety practices across the industry and are reflective of the cruise lines’ willingness to adopt and share best practice wherever possible.”
The Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review was launched in January 2012 to evaluate suggested policy improvements as part of the industry's ongoing efforts to improve safety through best practice.
Full versions of the new policies are available at http://cruising.org/regulatory/cruise-industry-policies.