A lot of cruise lines are also impacted by geopolitical situations and redirect their ships to prevent being caught up in these issues too. Recent examples include the ongoing unrest in the Middle East where Marella Cruises, Princess Cruises, Seabourn Cruises and more have opted to re-route their Red Sea itineraries to avoid the conflict. Similarly, ferry lines simulate and compare voyage plans to avoid sailing in challenging waters. Tuomas Häkkinen, account director of safety solutions at NAPA, discussed the importance of realtime stability and voyage monitoring for onboard and onshore operations during a presentation at the 2023 Interferry annual conference. He highlighted the need for adaptable weight distribution planning for ‘unknown cargo’ onboard ferries and the importance of using data to predict, test and plan ahead for voyage optimisation. This emphasis on proactive planning and data utilisation is particularly crucial given the persistent safety challenges in the maritime industry. Onboard fires also present a key safety issue for passenger shipping operators. The Allianz Safety and Shipping Review 2024 found that there were 205 reported fire incidents during 2023 alone, the second highest total for a decade and the fourth leading cause of all shipping incidents. To prevent fires and the threat to life, scale of damage and severe repair costs they can lead to, cruise and ferry companies employ a range of protection systems. They include passive fire- and smoke-fighting measures, fire dampers, ventilation systems, and fire-rated interior doors and partitions that will contain a fire until a vessel can get to a port. Despite the rigorous international standards set by SOLAS to ensure maritime safety, ferry accidents continue to occur at alarming rates in some regions of the world. Africa is home to the highest number of ferry fatalities in the world. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of Senegal and the Federal Republic of Nigeria, there were collectively over 12,000 domestic ferry fatalities between 2000 and 2021, according to the 2023 World Maritime report Safety of domestic ferries: A scoping study of seven high-risk countries. Various factors have a direct impact on safe ferry operations, including ticketing and passenger counting, vessel design and classification, insurance and financing, management culture, technical management, and political will. All of these topics were discussed in detail at the Africa Ferry Safety Seminar in April 2024, which was co-hosted by Interferry, IMO and regulatory authority Tanzania Shipping Agencies Corporation. The event focused on overcrowding and overloading, which are significant problems in developing countries that put passenger safety at risk. “This event represents a vital step forward in prioritising ferry safety across Africa,” said Mike Corrigan, CEO of Interferry. “The collaborative spirit and commitment from all attendees were truly inspiring. Together, we can address existing challenges and build a safer future for African ferry operations.” 137 Several cruise lines have changed their itineraries this year to avoid the impact of dangerous weather conditions Photo: AdobeStock/391068870
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