Cruise & Ferry Review - Autumn/Winter 2020

1 4 0 INTERV IEW Sustained focus on domestic ferry safety Tackling domestic ferry safety remains a top priority. Jon Ingleton talks with Heike Deggim, director of the maritime safety division at International Maritime Organization P lease describe the current regulatory environment for domestic ferry safety. The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) is the main international treaty covering, among other things, the design and construction of ships, their operation, stability, life- saving appliances, fire protection, carriage of cargoes, and radio communications. While SOLAS Chapter V (Safety of navigation) applies to all ships on all voyages (with some specific exceptions), the other chapters of the Convention do not apply to passenger ships that are not engaged in international trade. This means that domestic ferries – those engaged in trade within a single country’s national waters – do not come under the international regulations. Such ships are often referred to as non-SOLAS or non- Convention ships and need to comply “All passengers on all ships worldwide should be able to expect the same level of safety” Representatives from IMO Member States come together regularly to discuss key safety challenges and best practices and regulations for overcoming them