By
Michele Witthaus |
A European review of ship safety regulations is to incorporate input from the passenger shipping industry.
The European Commission has invited the industry, represented by the European Cruise Council (ECC) and Interferry, to participate in the review, which is already underway but has been accelerated by the recent Costa Concordia accident.
Interferry said that the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA) had already completed two studies that analyse shortcomings in the current regulatory frameworks. One of the major issues is the reconciliation between SOLAS 2009 and the Stockholm Agreement.
Interferry added that it had been asked to meet with EMSA in mid-March to discuss the findings of the review. Following this, in late April the European Commission vice president for transport will convene a workshop in Brussels, to which Interferry and the ECC have been invited. Johan Roos, Interferry executive director of EU and IMO Affairs, will coordinate these efforts.