A Norovirus Vaccine will Definitely Benefit Cruise Ships

Scientific studies on a vaccine against norovirus, the top source of gastroenteritis in the U.S., are set to come to an end this year. Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., the most efficient immunization candidate, has developed a vaccine against norovirus.

The shots will keep people protected reducing possibilities of an individual to be infected by this germ down to 5%.

This is very good news as a norovirus vaccine would be a boon to cruise ships, schools and nursing homes struggling to deal with a highly contagious diseases.

A vaccine would be more vital for individuals with a high risk of exposure or weakened immune defenses.

Norovirus, also known as the winter vomiting bug, can be caught from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces, according to the CDC. It causes the stomach and intestines to become inflamed, resulting in pain, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting.

It is more common in the US from November to April.

If approved, Takeda’s norovirus vaccine would be the first to protect people against the germ.

Related Article: Crucial Cruise Ship HACCP Sanitation Internationally Certificated Course required for Crew

Ukraine and Egypt are now off the itinerary map for MSC Cruises

The recent terror incident in Tunis struck fear in the hearts of all Cruise itinerary planners and a key consequence of this is the elimination of ports considered to pose a high risk.

Case in point is MSC Cruises who recently pulled out suspending of Ukraine and Egypt as from autumn 2015 until spring 2016, replacing these once attractive countries with other Mediterranean destinations such as Rhodes, Heraklion (Crete), Limassol (Cyprus), Burgas (Bulgaria) and even Israel which is a turn up for the books, as one would consider this country to be associated with a reasonably high risk.

MSC Cruises claim that the itinerary adjustments translate to the ongoing focus on safety for Passengers and Crew alike, a number one priority at all times. In essence the following MSC ships are involved in the itinerary changes:

• Sinfonia
• Opera
• Fantasia
• Musica

Clearly the prevailing geopolitical reality means that Egypt and Ukraine unfortunately considered to be high risk. Moreover, the once popular Tunis, Israel, Lebanon, Libya and Algeria are now mostly off Cruise Lines itineraries and even Turkey is being re-evaluated.

Top Luxurious Ship has Failed Health Inspection

For many Off Radar readers, this will come quite as a shock, as one of the world's leading cruise ships luxury-wise didn't manage to pass an important health inspection conducted by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The U.S. Centers gave a failed score of 84% to the Silver Shadow, which well known for its luxurious and incredibly expensive all-suite style. A score below 86% is considered a failure and pretty bad by all accounts in cruising circles.

This will alarm many readers as the Silver Shadow scored as high as 95% to 99% for the last 6 inspections conducted by the same health agency.

The health inspection took place more than a month ago, but this reality didn't come to light until now.

Silversea Cruises, in an official statement sent to US Today, expressed its disappointment and announced it has taken immediate measures.

Our recommendation is for all Crew to be trained in HACCP for on board Cruise Ships, as its the best process to manage Sanitation. For more information read this HACCP Sanitation.

The Man Overboard procesure

In the event of the alarming number of "Man Overboard" incidents, at Off Radar Cruise News, we take the matter seriously and want to do our bit to generate awareness. 

It goes without saying that knowing the correct procedures to follow in a heart wrenching "Man Overboard" situation, is in real terms the only realistic opportunity one has of saving the life of a loved one or friend with a successful rescue. 

So in the event a person falls or slips overboard it's crucial that someone spots the incident and thereafter everyone surrounding works together in synergy.  By rights the Captain has the overall responsibility of leading the rescue effort and assigning jobs, that is as soon as he's aware of the accident. 

The "Man Overboard" procedure has 4 main stages depending upon the case as follows:

Phase 1 - Shout "MAN OVERBOARD"

The very first thing you must do if you see a person go overboard is shout "MAN OVERBOARD" as loud as you possibly can. It's also important to state the side of the ship - example:

• Port (left side facing forward) 
• Starboard (right side facing forward). 

In these early stages it's critical to focus hard and keep your eyes on the victim at all times. As you focus your eyes on the victim keeping screaming "MAN OVERBOARD". Do this until you until someone else hears you and responds. Once the "MAN OVERBOARD" call reaches the attention of the Captain, he by rights should shut down the engines or drop sail immediately.

Phase 2 - Maintain focus on victim and point

The person you originally spotted the "MAN OVERBOARD"should maintain vision on the victim and point to his exact location. The spotter should then keep pointing at the victim. Keep in mind that keeping a sharp eye on someone bobbing up and down in the middle of the ocean is exceptionally challenging.

The pointing action will give everyone else around you on board an immediate direction. The ideal scenario is that the person who spotted the "MAN OVERBOARD"should remain the spotter throughout the entire rescue. However the more people who can fix eyes on the victim the better, as it acts like a kind of back up. In the event you need to reassign the duty, ensure the new spotter has securely locked eyes on the victim.

The ship is naturally going to move away from the victim initially, hence if you lose sight for even a split second, you could lose track of the victim altogether. 

Phase 3 - Create a trail

Someone must quickly throw a flotation device (ring) into the water for the victim to swim to. If the ship is moving at a high rate of knots, start throwing in anything that floats to leave a kind of trail to the scene. Sun-bed cushions, Life-Jackets, even your clothing or hat. Literally anything visible that floats can help create a trail.

Phase 4 - Launch tender boat

Depending upon the size, if the ship has travelled too far past the victim, the vessel may need to turn back towards the victim to make the rescue. For a rescue to be made a tender boat would be lowered to follow the trail made and recover the victim. 

Summary

A "MAN OVERBOARD"situation is a horrific event and the chances of recovering the victim and realistically small due to the size of a Cruise Ship and the magnitude of our great oceans. There is a chance however if the spotter can maintain sight and all of the other phases mentioned above are followed carefully. A life is a life and we must all do what we can if a "MAN OVERBOARD"situation occurs. 

Man Overboard incidents on the rise within the Cruise Ship Industry

No less than 5 “Man Overboard” incidents occurred in the last 2 months and the situation is projecting negative news to the Cruise Ship industry. We therefore considered it our duty to look into the situation and give our readers a simple overview the “Man Overboard” trend.

Cruise Lines affected

• Royal Caribbean
• Holland America Line
• Princess

Causes

• Jumping overboard Suicide
• Slipping Overboard Accident
• Drunk Self-inflicted but unintentional
• Horse-play Manslaughter to murder

Rescue Procedure
All “Man Overboard” incidents must follow a procedure of 4 main phases as follows:

Man Overboard Procedure

The Cruise Ship Industry is still unquestionably one of the safest forms of travel, however in the wake of a number of high level safety incidents in recent years, the “Man Overboard” issue is the last thing that Industry needs right now.

The US Congress (US cruising represents roughly 50% of the entire Industry) passed a law a couple of years ago that obligated Cruise Lines to install automatic “Man Overboard” systems. Interestingly none of the Cruise Lines involved in the “Man Overboard” incidents have yet to install such systems, which one would think would be the minimum requirement.

The situation is not so clear-cut or simplistic however, as it’s widely known that these detection systems are not perfected yet. However, the Cruise safety law does not demand the "Perfect Man Overboard System”, only that such a system is installed, which reasonably complies with the safety intention of the law.

At present due to the poor odds in concerning the rescue of victims, when a person falls into the sea, if they are not immediately spotted, the cruise ships sail on.

To conclude, our thoughts go out to the families of the passengers who have gone overboard. For their sake at least we hope that Cruise Lines start to install the automatic “Man Overboard” systems.

The Costa Concordia shipwreck removal has been postponed until the middle of July

Once again it seems like the Costa Concrdia will not budge. This time round a construction accident and tardy project plan approval have delayed the June deadline for removing the remains of the vessel to July 18.

Technically speaking there are challenges with the chains holding 800 ton sponsons (metal flotation tanks) that will refloat Concordia, to enable it to be towed. Repairs are necessary before the vessel can be moved. We now understand that one of the damaged sponsons has been transported from the Concordia wreck to Genoa on the Italian mainland, where it is undergoing repairs. The other is being repaired on site.

There were actually 11 sponsons positioned on Concordia's port side prior to the ship's 'parbuckling' in September, when the 114,000 ton vessel was rolled into an upright position and lowered onto an underwater platform. Now another 19 sponsons are needed to refloat the ship.

Titan Micoperi, the salvage operator performing the Concordia removal, has successfully installed four sponsons and is scheduled to install a fifth today soon, according to Concordia Wreck Removal.

In addition to the sponsons, planning progress came to a halt in late April when the Monitoring Observatory requested that further risk assessments.

The new deadline for the refloating completion is July 18th, however it’s known by all that sponson related installation operations are always complex and also weather sensitive; this is why the schedule is updated on a weekly basis. The eventual destination and ultimate resting place for the Concordia’s scrap operation still requires confirmation.

Cruise Ship Swimming Pool tragedy; what can we learn from this?

6-year-old Quentyn Hunter from Winter Garden drowned in a Swimming Pool while aboard the Carnival Victory. The Ship was nearing Port Miami and was close to the end of its 4-day cruise.

When the DJ noticed the boy immobile under the water, he stopped the music and called out in a panic. Passengers immediately pulled the boy out and performed CPR, but he was shortly pronounced dead at the scene. Though he was with his 10-year-old brother at the time, foul play is not suspected, according to Miami Police.

"Carnival extends its heartfelt sympathy to the family during this very difficult time. The company's CareTeam is providing assistance and support," Carnival said in its statement.

Some Swimming Pools on Cruise Ships while relatively small in circumference can be deceivingly deep. Moreover, that Lifeguards do not feature on board most Cruise Ships and considering the number of Guests on board, it may be a consideration for the future so that tragedies like these will not be repeated.

The Predicament of the Growing Mega-Ship Craze

More than a century ago, the Titanic was touted as the biggest ship in the world at 882,6 ft long with a total capacity for passengers at 2,435 and 892 crew. Today, the Royal Caribbean's Allure of the Seas holds that title at 1,188 ft long with a capacity for 6,300 passengers and 2,394 crew members.

While it's true that today's mega-ships are engineering marvels combining cutting-edge technology and entertainment, the predicament of their growing size is worrying safety experts, lawmakers and regulators who are demanding more accountability from cruise lines.

The biggest problem facing this trend is passenger and crew safety. Experts state that the bigger the ship is, the less options there are in an emergency and more evacuation difficulties. For example, safety rules specify that each lifeboat shouldn't have more than 150 passengers, but Allure of the Seas and its sister ship Oasis of the Seas both carry lifeboats for 370 people. On top of not factoring crew members in this number, there is a likely chance the lifeboats can capsize at such capacity.

The pressure on crew members to attend guests is also another problem. Cruise lines fail to increase the number of crew to accommodate the growing number of passengers with the expansion of mega-ships. More complications arise from the lack of communication or understanding of knowledge between crew and guests, hence the high turnover rate of the crew, which is another can of worms altogether.

These mega-ships and the perceived necessity to build them larger exceeds the point of manageability. If new ships continue to get bigger, these preexisting problems and high risks will only escalate.

Bud Darr, senior VP for technical and regulatory affairs at the Cruise Lines International Association, states that today's ships operate under layers of oversight. He goes on to say: "We are subject to very close scrutiny. The standards are universal." His contradictory statements beg the question: if these auditors are aware of the issues related to the growing mega-ship craze, why is nothing being done to remedy the problem?

75 year old man fell overboard a Cruise ship off eastern Korea

A man overboard event occurred off South Korea's east coast this weekend.

The passenger in question was an elderly South Korean male aged 75-year-old, identified by his family name Jeong, it is understood that the man fell overboard around 3 kilometers northwest of Jumunjin port (east coast).

The Coast Guard sent ships and a helicopter to the area where the man fell overboard and an investigation is currently ongoing with respect to the cause of the incident.

The Risabu Cruise (753 tons) ship was en-route to Gyeongpodae, a beach close to the port of  Jumunjin, when the accident occurred.

The man is still missing and naturally as times passes his chances of survival are remote.

The raising of the Costa Concordia

Once again the Costa Concordia is making headlines as salvage operations commence at the wreck site off the coast of the island of Giglio, Italy. The ship is actually being raised by adopting a new technique, known as parbuckling, which has never happened before considering a ship of this size.

According to the project's own website, the technique involves:

• Stabilizing the ship
• Preparing a false bottom under the ship
• Fixing watertight boxes or caissons to the side of the ship that is above water. 
• After this, undersea platforms will be built where the ship will rest after rotation.

The rotating or “parbuckling” aspect of the technique may take days as its a complex and delicate undertaking. We understand that cranes will be used to pull the ship upright (helped by the caissons). Moreover, when the ship is finally upright, more caissons will be fitted, this time to the other side to stabilize the wreck further.

To complete the procedure, a pneumatic type system then will push the ship upwards, at which time the caissons will be emptied of water and whats left of the ship will re-floated and towed to port.

The project's website also states that operation to remove the Costa Concordia was as much as 73% complete at the beginning of August 2013. It wil be some feat if they actually manage it! 

Resco Launches eMustering Solution

London/Sydney, December 2012

Rescompany has developed a sophisticated eMustering solution. The module runs on a variety of rugged and durable mobile devices, it will substantially speed up and aid management of critical ship procedures such as General Emergency, Crew & Passenger Drills, Muster Station management, Abandon Ship and Landfall.

Resco eMustering counts every person using bar code or RFID embedded in guest and crew cards or life jackets. Manual check-in is also possible by searching for a passengers name, cabin, relation or group. Ease of use and modern user interfaces are the key features that allow for fast and efficient processes. Constant data synchronisation between devices, on board and shore side Emergency Control Centre and central SMS database enable for up-to-date information being available to all critical locations. Various communication methods used by the system assure its robustness and availability of data even when some parts of the infrastructure may be inoperative.

Resco SMS Director, Mike Hofreiter comments “We are very pleased with the development of this module; the industry is looking for ways to improve on safety procedures. We believe our eMustering solution offers capabilities for safety management not seen to date”.

The Resco Ship Management System comes with an integrated point of sale and offers optional modules such as gangway security, excursion sales, cashbook, AVO (cabin maintenance tracking), inventory management, crew management, e-mustering, visitor handling, inventory and payroll.

Resco POS utilizes industry standard touch screen technology and provides a true open platform where the preferred hardware can be chosen by the user.

For more information about our products please visit www.rescompany.com or contact us directly by

email at pwinqvist@rescompany.com or michael@rescompany.com or call us on +44-2031788090

or +61-295267711. Rescompany has local offices in Sydney, Vancouver, London, Hamburg and Gdansk.

Source:  rescompany.com

International Maritime Organization (IMO) To Incorporate Recommendation From Global Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review In Key Maritime Safety Treaty

Other Cruise Industry-Initiated Policies Incorporated by the IMO Maritime Safety Committee

WASHINGTON, Dec. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the European Cruise Council (ECC) are pleased with the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) decision to approve incorporation of the cruise industry's recommendation for the mandatory muster of passengers prior to departure from port in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). This anticipated regulatory change would be incorporated in SOLAS, which provides comprehensive mandates on safety equipment and procedures for ships. The global cruise industry announced this measure with immediate effect on February 9, 2012, as part of the Global Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review that was launched in January. 

Additionally, the IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) incorporated three other policies from the Global Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review during its meetings in London, held November 26 to 30. The three policies address the loading of lifeboats by crewmembers for training purposes, the recording of passenger nationality, and the common elements of musters and emergency instructions. They are now included in IMO guidance specific to Passenger Ship Safety and have been implemented via industry-wide policies. 

"The global cruise industry appreciates and shares the unyielding commitment of the IMO, its Secretary-General, the Maritime Safety Committee and the 170 IMO member States around the world to continuously enhance the safety of passengers and crew — our industry's number one priority," said Christine Duffy, president and CEO of CLIA. "Ongoing innovation in safety has been a hallmark of the cruise industry for decades. We remain fully committed as an industry to building on our rich heritage of leadership in improvement of shipboard operations and safety."

"We welcome the decision by the IMO to incorporate key recommendations from the Global Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review into the SOLAS," said Manfredi Lefebvre d'Ovidio, ECC Chairman. "The IMO's decision to incorporate our recommendations into SOLAS, including our February 2012 decision to introduce on a voluntary basis the mandatory muster of passengers prior to departure from port, is an endorsement of the cruise industry's approach to continuous safety improvement. It demonstrates how we as an industry are proactively achieving concrete, practical and significant safety dividends in the shortest possible time. We look forward to continuing to work with the IMO to secure further safety improvements in the future wherever there is scope to do so."

At the meeting, the IMO put forth immediate actions to enhance passenger ship safety, with the Global Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review the source of many of the items. The Review includes a comprehensive assessment of the critical human factors and operational aspects of maritime safety and the development of comprehensive best practices for industry-wide implementation. 

To date, the Review has resulted in ten wide-ranging policies, all of which exceed current international regulatory requirements. All policies adopted by the Review are available online at http://www.cruising.org/regulatory/cruise-industry-policies/cruise-industry-operational-safety-review.

About CLIA 

The nonprofit Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is North America's largest global cruise industry organization. CLIA represents the interests of 26 member lines, 15,000 travel agents, and 120 executive partners before regulatory and legislative policy makers, supporting measures that foster a safe, secure and healthy cruise ship environment. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research and marketing communications to promote the value and desirability of cruise vacations with thousands of travel agency and travel agent members across North America. For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and CLIA-member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit www.cruising.org. CLIA can also be followed on the Cruise Lines International Association's Facebook and Twitter fan pages, and CEO Christine Duffy can be followed@CLIACEO and cruising.org/ceoblog. 

About the European Cruise Council

The European Cruise Council (ECC) represents the leading cruise companies operating in Europe and has 30 cruise members and 34 associate members. The ECC promotes the interests of cruise ship operators within Europe, liaising closely with the EU Institutions: the Commission, the Parliament, the Council of Ministers and their Permanent Representatives as well as with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The ECC also looks to protect the interests of its Members through close liaison with other European bodies such as the European Community Shipowners Association (ECSA), he European Sea Ports Association (ESPO) and the European Travel Agents & Tour Operators Association (ECTAA).The ECC also promotes cruising to a wider public audience to encourage expansion of the European cruise market and works closely with a number of regional bodies such as Cruise Baltic, Cruise Europe, Cruise Norway and MedCruise. The European cruise industry continues to increase its share of the global cruise market with 27.8 million passengers visiting a European port in 2011; 6.2 million Europeans cruised worldwide – 30% of market - of whom 4.8 million embarked in a European port, and a total of 5.6 million passengers joined their cruise in Europe. The industry generated €36.7 billion of goods and services and providing more than 300,000 jobs. In 2011 there were at least 171 cruise ships active in the Mediterranean and 102 in Northern Europe, ranging in size from 4,200 passengers to less than 100. For more information please visit www.europeancruisecouncil.com.

SOURCE Cruise Lines International Association

RELATED LINKS

http://www.cruising.org

PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1vNk1)

Port of Toulon Becomes ‘Safe Port’ in Storm

Photograph Port of Toulon Wikipedia

The Port of Toulon demonstrated its ability to provide emergency and crisis accommodation to ships unable to berth in Marseilles this past weekend, following a storm that hit the southeast of the Mediterranean.

The Port of Toulon was able to accommodate 18 ship unexpected movements, including six vessels in distress.

The storm swept across south eastern France, from Saturday afternoon until late Sunday night, with gusts of winds approaching 130/150 km an hour which forced a majority of vessels operating in the Mediterranean to divert their routes, according to a statement from Toulon.

Continue to read at:  cruiseindustrynews.com

Global Cruise Industry Announces Latest Safety Policy

Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review Policy Exceeds Existing Regulatory Requirements

CLIA Website

— September 20, 2012 — WASHINGTON, DC – On behalf of the global cruise industry, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the European Cruise Council (ECC) today announced that the cruise industry has adopted an additional safety policy. This policy, which exceeds current international regulatory requirements, addresses issues related to the loading of lifeboats by crewmembers for training purposes. It is an outcome of the Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review, which was launched in January 2012. 

The Life Boat Loading for Training Purposes policy requires the launching and full loading of a lifeboat at least once every six months for crew training purposes for all oceangoing members of CLIA and ECC, effective immediately. During the training, the lifeboat is filled to capacity with crewmembers and maneuvered in the water to facilitate familiarization with lifeboat operations. It is mandatory that all crewmembers involved in operating or loading of lifeboats attend the drill. Smaller ships with less than 300 crewmembers will conduct similar training as appropriate. 

“The cruise industry continues to work on a global level to improve the safety of passengers and crew, which is our number one priority,” said Christine Duffy, president and CEO of CLIA. “Since January of this year, and in keeping with our efforts to continuously improve operational excellence, the global cruise industry has voluntarily adopted seven wide-ranging safety policies. We remain fully committed to exploring further enhancements in a number of areas that will add to the industry’s excellent safety record.”

Commenting on the new policy Manfredi Lefebvre, ECC Chairman said:

“The Cruise industry’s Operational Safety Review demonstrates our on-going determination to ensure that cruise ships remain the safest vacation option and the safest part of the shipping industry. This policy, like all the policies that have already been developed by the Operational Safety Review, exceeds current international regulatory requirements and has been externally verified by world renowned independent experts.” 

He added: “Our industry is committed to improving our safety performance in the short, the medium and the long term I believe our approach supports the goal of European Commission of re-launching their ‘Quality Shipping Campaign’ as set out in its Maritime Policy 2009-2018.”

The Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review receives advice and input from a panel of outside maritime and safety experts. These individuals are evaluating suggested policy improvements as part of the cruise industry’s continuous efforts to review and improve safety measures by developing comprehensive best practices for industry-wide implementation and, ultimately, formal submission to the International Maritime Organization (IMO), as appropriate. This policy will be submitted to the IMO for consideration at its next session in November.

A full version of the Life Boat Loading for Training Purposes policy can be accessed athttp://www.cruising.org/regulatory/life-boat-loading-training-purposes-policy. All CLIA policies can be viewed at http://cruising.org/regulatory/cruise-industry-policies.

CLIA announced the launch of the Review on January 27, 2012. As part of the Review in February the global cruise industry instituted a new policy requiring mandatory emergency muster drills for embarking passengers prior to departure from port. In March, the industry put forth recommendations to the IMO supporting enhanced reporting requirements to improve the consistency and transparency of marine casualty data. In April, it announced three policies addressing issues related to passage planning, personnel access to the bridge and lifejackets. In June, the industry announced policies related to the recording of passenger nationality and the common elements of musters and emergency instructions. Additional best practices and policies developed through the Review will be announced and implemented on an ongoing basis. 

About the European Cruise Council

The European Cruise Council (ECC) represents the leading cruise companies operating in Europe and has 30 cruise members and 34 associate members. The ECC promotes the interests of cruise ship operators within Europe, liaising closely with the EU Institutions: the Commission, the Parliament, the Council of Ministers and their Permanent Representatives as well as with the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). The ECC also looks to protect the interests of its Members through close liaison with other European bodies such as the European Community Shipowners Association (ECSA), he European Sea Ports Association (ESPO) and the European Travel Agents & Tour Operators Association (ECTAA).The ECC also promotes cruising to a wider public audience to encourage expansion of the European cruise market and works closely with a number of regional bodies such as Cruise Baltic, Cruise Europe, Cruise Norway and MedCruise. The European cruise industry continues to increase its share of the global cruise market with 27.8 million passengers visiting a European port in 2011; 6.2m Europeans cruised worldwide – 30% of market - of whom 4.8m embarked in a European port, and a total of 5.6 million passengers joined their cruise in Europe. The industry generated €36.7 billion of goods and services and providing more than 300,000 jobs. In 2011 there were at least 171 cruise ships active in the Mediterranean and 102 in Northern Europe, ranging in size from 4,200 passengers to less than 100. For more information please visit www.europeancruisecouncil.com

About CLIA

The nonprofit Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is the largest global cruise industry organization. CLIA represents the interests of 26 member lines, 15,000 travel agents, and 120 executive partners before regulatory and legislative policy makers, supporting measures that foster a safe, secure and healthy cruise ship environment. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research and marketing communications to promote the value and desirability of cruise vacations with thousands of travel agency and travel agent members across North America. For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and CLIA-member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit www.cruising.org. CLIA can also be followed on the Cruise Lines International Association's Facebook and Twitter fan pages, and CEO Christine Duffy can be followed @CLIACEO and cruising.org/ceoblog.

AIDA Cruise Ships Given Top Safety Rating by ADAC

AIDA fleet cruise ships, 'AIDAbella' & 'AIDAdiva', rated 'Very Good' after recent German automobile club, ADAC, inspection

ADAC performed independent safety tests on board 10 cruise ships in the Mediterranean.

ADAC certified all the other ships that were tested, in addition to the AIDA owned ships, including those of the Costa fleet, maintained a high standard of safety, which ADAC says, confirms once more the high safety standard in the cruise industry.

"We are pleased that all AIDA ships tested from the ADAC, got the top rating 'very good'. The test results of the ADAC experts once again confirm the high safety standards on board our ships, "says Michael Ungerer, President of AIDA Cruises.


Source:  marinelink.com

Cruise Industry Announces Three New Safety Policies at EU Conference

Latest Best Practice Identified Through Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review

WASHINGTON, DC - On behalf of the global cruise industry, Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) and the European Cruise Council today announced that the cruise industry has adopted three new safety policies which are to be implemented with immediate effect. The announcement was made by Chairman of the European Cruise Council (ECC) and Member of the CLIA Executive Committee, Manfredi Lefebvre.

Speaking at a major European Commission-organized Passenger Ship Safety event in Brussels, he outlined how these policies have been agreed to by the industry and represent the third such announcement arising from the cruise industry’s Operational Safety Review.

These three new policies, which go beyond even the strictest of regulatory requirements, address issues related to passage planning, personnel access to the bridge and lifejackets. Each of these three policies will be reported to the United Nations' International Maritime Organization (IMO) for consideration at their next session in May.

“As highlighted by these wide-ranging policies, we continue to take proactive measures to improve the safety of passengers and crew across the globe,” said Christine Duffy, president and CEO of CLIA. “We look forward to working collaboratively to identify any additional operational issues that will achieve our longstanding goal of of continuous improvement and innovation in shipboard operations and safety.”

The three policies govern:
1) Passage Planning – Although cruise lines have followed IMO guidance on passage planning for many years, our policy now deems this to be a mandatory minimum requirement and enhanced by endorsement of the best practices contained in the International Chamber of Shipping’s Bridge Procedures Guide. Furthermore, under this policy each passage plan is to be thoroughly briefed to all bridge team members well in advance of its implementation and it is to be drafted by a designated officer and approved by the master.

2) Personnel Access To The Bridge - To minimize unnecessary disruptions and distractions on the bridge, we have adopted a policy that bridge access is to be limited to those with operational functions during any period of restricted manoeuvring or when increased vigilance is required.

3) Lifejackets – In addition to the statutory requirement of carriage of lifejackets for each person onboard, we have adopted a policy of carrying additional adult lifejackets onboard each cruise ship in excess of these legal requirements so that the number of additional adult lifejackets to be provided must not be less than the total number of persons berthed within the ship’s most populated main vertical fire zone. This ensures that the number of lifejackets carried is far in excess of the number of persons actually onboard the ship.

These policies were reviewed by CLIA’s recently-announced panel of outside maritime and safety experts who are evaluating suggested policy improvements as part of the association’s continuous efforts to review and improve safety measures by developing comprehensive best practices for industry-wide implementation and ultimately, formal submission to the International Maritime Organization, as appropriate.

Manfredi Lefebvre said: “Today’s European Commission event is in perfect alignment with our industry efforts to improve cruise ship safety. I am pleased to be given a chance by European Commissioner VP & Transport Commissioner Siim Kallas to outline how the industry and the regulators can move forward together in our common goal of preventing future accidents.”

He added: “The cruise industry is highly regulated and it is this regulatory regime, complied with onboard by our professional and committed officers and crews, that has given the cruise industry a truly remarkable safety record. But as the Concordia incident demonstrates, there is no such thing as perfect safety. We do strive for a perfect commitment to safety. And as part of our commitment to a safety culture, the industry – both individually as cruise lines and collectively through CLIA and the ECC – beginning January 27 launched an Operational Safety Review to learn the lessons from Concordia and to conduct a top to bottom safety review.”

He continued: “By bringing forward voluntary initiatives such as these, we significantly and immediately improve safety standards. These initiatives are, we believe, fully supportive of the Commission’s goal of re-launching their ‘Quality Shipping Campaign’ through voluntary partnership agreements with the shipping industry as set out in its Maritime Policy 2009-2018. Specifically, we very much hope that the results of the Operational Safety Review as they are delivered over the coming months will give us fertile ground to grow our partnership with the Commission”

He concluded: “We are convinced that this approach will achieve concrete, practical and significant safety dividends in the shortest possible time and fully reflects the measured and responsible progress on future safety initiatives by both the Commission and European Parliament following the Concordia tragedy.”

The new policies follow the industry’s announcement on January 27 of an Operational Safety Review in response to the Concordia incident and as part of the industry’s continuous efforts to review and improve safety measures, and represent the third such announcement. The previous two related to the new Muster Drill Policy (February 9, 2012) and Enhanced Reporting Requirements to Ensure Consistency, Transparency of Marine Casualty Data (March 21, 2012).

Source:  cruising.org

Panel of Experts Appointed to Evaluate Recommendations of Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review

Panelists bring extensive expertise in transportation and maritime safety

WASHINGTON, D.C. —The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) today announced it has appointed a panel of maritime and safety experts to provide an impartial assessment of the recommendations developed by the Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review, launched in January 2012. This Panel of Experts will evaluate suggested policy improvements as part of our continuous efforts to review and improve safety measures by developing comprehensive best practices for industry-wide implementation and ultimately, formal submission to the International Maritime Organization, as appropriate.

“Our number one priority is the safety of passengers and crew. The launch of the Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review was consistent with our industry’s longstanding tradition of taking proactive measures to strengthen safety practices and procedures,” said Christine Duffy, president and CEO of CLIA. “The impartial opinions and advice of these distinguished experts will help achieve our goal of continuous improvement and innovation in shipboard operations and safety.” 

The distinguished members of the Panel of Experts are:

1. Mark Rosenker, former Chairman of the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), a retired Major General, United States Air Force Reserve, and former Director of the White House Military Office.

2. Stephen Meyer, Admiral Royal Navy, retired. Former Commander of a number of Royal Navy ships, and former head of the United Kingdom Marine Accident Investigation Branch.

3. Dr. Jack Spencer, former Director, Office of Marine Safety, United States National Transportation Safety Board. Dr. Spencer has more than 40 years of experience with the U.S. Coast Guard and National Transportation Safety Board. He has also been on US delegations to the IMO for 30 years.

4. Willem de Ruiter, former head of the European Maritime Safety Agency (EMSA). In 2003, Mr. de Ruiter was appointed as the first executive director of EMSA and charged with building up the organization, after a distinguished career in the Dutch government and at the European Commission.

Each panel member brings deep experience in the maritime, regulatory and accident investigation fields. The Panel is balanced geographically with equal representation from the United States and Europe. 

CLIA announced the launch of the Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review on January 27, 2012. The Review has included a comprehensive assessment of the critical human factors and operational aspects of maritime safety. As part of the Review, in February, CLIA members instituted a new policy requiring mandatory emergency muster drills for embarking passengers prior to departure from port. In March, CLIA members also put forth recommendations to the IMO supporting enhanced reporting requirements to improve the consistency and transparency of marine casualty data. Additional best practices and policies developed through the Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review will be announced and implemented on an ongoing basis.

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About CLIA

The nonprofit Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) is the world's largest cruise industry organization. CLIA represents the interests of 26 member lines and participates in the regulatory and policy development process while supporting measures that foster a safe, secure and healthy cruise ship environment. CLIA is also engaged in travel agent training, research and marketing communications to promote the value and desirability of cruise vacations with thousands of travel agency and travel agent members across North America. For more information on CLIA, the cruise industry, and CLIA-member cruise lines and travel agencies, visit www.cruising.org. CLIA can also be followed on the Cruise Lines International Association's Facebook and Twitter fan pages.

Source:  cruise.org

MSC Gets Training Concept Right, Based on Knowledge and Equipment

There is a lot that goes into the training for crew that work on board passenger cruise vessels.  This is not easy, it takes a lot of hours, dedication, personal responsibility and strong knowledge of what it means to be safe and  secure while traveling on board for both crew and for passengers.  

MSC Cruises announces exactly that, "Safety is Knowledge and Equipment".

As quoted in Travel Daily News . . .

"Technical training on board MSC Divina already in action".

Safety at sea depends on knowledge and certainty, training, and state-of-the-art equipment. Which is why the MSC Cruises’ fleet is designed and operated in compliance with the highest requirements and standards contained in the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea as developed by the International maritime Organization (IMO) and why MSC Cruises ensures that every member of crew and staff on board an MSC ship receives frequent training to ensure an effective and precise performance and use of equipment.

MSC Divina, due to be christened on 26 May 2012 in Marseille, will be equipped with two special lifesaving devices- Marine Evacuation Systems (MES)- which complement lifeboats and life preservers by adding additional capacity. The MES is an inflatable slide or chute from which 1,514 passengers can be directly evacuated into waiting life rafts. The crew is instructed in the full use and handling of this system, from deployment to evacuation procedures.

MSC Divina’s sisterships, MSC Fantasia and MSC Splendida, are also equipped with two Marine Evacuation Systems (MES) each.

Source:   traveldailynews.com

Costa Allegra Continued Update

Time 07.00 pm (CET)This afternoon around 12:30 p.m. CET (3:30 p.m. Seychelles time; 6:30 a.m. ET) the two tugs and a second ocean-going fishing vessel reached Costa Allegra to assist the ship. Costa Allegra continues to be towed by French-flagged fishing ship Trévignon and is maintaining a speed of about 6 knots. At the current speed and with stable weather conditions Costa Allegra is expected to arrive at Mahé, Seychelles, in the early morning of Thursday, March 1.

Wednesday Costa expects the arrival of a helicopter to deliver about 400 flashlights and fresh bread. There is sufficient food and other comfort items on board. Also, thanks to the arrival of a small generator delivered by a local Navy ship that is present on site, the ship crew is doing everything possible to make the situation on board more comfortable by trying to restore basic services. 
Early this afternoon Costa Cruises’ Care Team arrived at Mahé. The group of 14 people includes executives and managers as well as specialized technicians. The team is tasked with providing assistance to the ship, guests and crewmembers on their arrival at Mahé.
Upon arriving Care Team members immediately met with local authorities and those responsible for rescue coordination to arrange operational details of guests’ arrival at the island. Top priority was given to securing necessary accommodations at local hotels and organizing an efficient process for making guests’ travel arrangements.
Eight members of the Care Team will board Costa Allegra tomorrow morning via a local Navy ship to meet guests and discuss arrangements with them and to assist the ship’s staff in thorough technical inspections. With the Costa Care Team will be two officers from Seychelles Immigration to facilitate customs procedures.

Time 1.00 pm (CET)Costa Cruises informs that in view of extensive and accurate checks carried out with local maritime experts’ support, in order to ensure the safety of our guests on board, the disembarkation on Desroches island cannot be performed and therefore it has been decided that the ship will be towed to Mahé / Seychelles. The disembarkation in Desroches does not assure the necessary and adequate security conditions for mooring the ship and guests’ disembarkation. In addition, logistics and hotels on the island are not enough: it would require an immediate transfer from Desroches to Mahé through Ferries after disembarking the ship through tenders. Thus the ship will be towed to Mahé, also with the assistance of two tugs that are approaching the ship and that would allow to increase the speed. The arrival in Mahé expected during the morning (local time) on Thursday, March 1, just few hours after the possible arrival to Mahé from Desroches through Ferries. Helicopters will ensure continuous supply of food, comfort items, flashlights in order to mitigate guests discomfort given the difficult conditions on board. Costa Cruises is working with all the Authorities responsible for the coordination of the emergency, to ensure the best possible assistance to all our guests and make their discomfort as short as possible and to reach their next destination. The Company is sincerely sorry for the inconvenience: absolute priority is to make it as short as possible.

Check back often to source:  costacruises.com

Costa Allegra Update, February 28, 2012

I know a lot of people are looking at this new incident with a lot of wonder and concern. Costa Cruises has been hit with a large black cloud that doesn't seem to open up for bluer skies. Our thoughts are indeed with the passenger going through this experience.

The positive side of this story is due to the quick reaction and professionalism of the Captain and his crew, everyone is safe. We thank everyone involved on board the Allegra for their efforts and control, while at the same time, thanking all efforts of the helicopter  from Mahè who brought food to the Allegra and the French Ocean Fishing vessel, "Travignon" for their care in towing the vessel to port.  The combined works of everyone continues to show how the bond of Seafarers remain strong during a difficult situation.

The following is Costa Cruises explanation of events and conditions of this situation :

Tuesday, February 28th 2012

Time 09.30 am (CET)
The risk of fire is the one traditionally considered most seriously risk on board a ship or a boat and is therefore the subject of special preventive measures, training of personnel and plans for active protection.
All ships, from the design and building stages in the yard, are built using criteria and materials making them safe and reliable from the point of view of fire prevention.

As provided for by the various international regulations and the Company’s procedures, all fire protection systems and equipment are subjected to regular tests, trials and inspections. In the event of a fire, the ship’s structure itself is designed in order to isolate the fire, thus making it more manageable and less dangerous. To this end the ship is divided into main vertical areas, separated by special metal bulkheads of large thickness equipped with special fire doors with the same characteristics as the bulkheads, which, once closed, manually or from the navigating bridge, are fire-retarding divisions.

The ventilation, air extraction and conditioning ducts are equipped with special fire dampers which automatically close in the event of high temperature in order to stop the air flow, in order to avoid to feed the fire.

All ship spaces, including crew and passenger accommodation spaces, are equipped with fire detectors automatically signalling the presence of smoke or high temperature to the navigating bridge. Moreover, any person aboard can signal the outbreak of a fire by means of the numerous manually operated alarms located throughout the vessel. If the temperature reaches high levels, thousands of sprinkler heads (atomisation plants/sprinklers), located on ceilings, are automatically activated. Some particularly hazardous spaces are protected by fixed fire-extinguishing systems (i.e. carbon dioxide for machinery spaces, steam for the galley kitchenette hoods, nebulized water for the deep-fryer, etc.).

Throughout the vessel and in all spaces there are also hundreds of portable fire extinguishers of different kinds (for use in different types of fires) and permanent stations equipped with fire hoses connected to a pressurised water plant.

The effectiveness of all fire-fighting equipment is ensured by regular maintenance and testing according to a precise schedule with set intervals.
Fire-fighting teams, consisting of highly qualified trained experts are always aboard and take part in regular drills. In addition, all crewmembers participate in practical training sessions and theory courses during which they are taught how to react in case of fire or smoke, the use of fire-fighting equipment and procedures to be followed.

These measures allowed to bring promptly under control and extinguish the fire broke out in the local generators on Costa Allegra.

Time 08.30 am (CET)
An helicopter took off from Mahè this morning and it is arriving to the area where Costa Allegra is located, bringing to the ship both food and communication devices (satellite phones and VHF radios). The weather is good. Guests were invited to prepare their luggage in order to be ready for the time of disembarkation. The ship is expected to arrive to Desroches island tomorrow morning.

Time 07.30 am (CET)
Costa Allegra, since tonight, has been towed by the french ocean fishing vessels "Travignon"; route direction is Desroches island. Guests onboard are continuosly informed and assisted by the Captain and the staff onboard; a cold breakfast was served this morning.

Time 00.00 am (CET)
The French ocean-going fishing ship reached Costa Allegra and the two captains are in radio contact. At dawn Costa will evaluate the assistance operations the fishing vessel can provide.

Monday, February 27th 2012

Time 11.00 pm (CET)
As of 10 p.m. CET, Monday tonight, after having contacted all the 627 passengers contact emergency numbers, Costa Crociere reached families or relatives of 402 passengers (excluding the nine Italian marines on board for security reasons).
All the crew families/relatives have been contacted, either directly by the company or through its manning agent.

Time 10.00 pm (CET)
The first boat expected to reach Costa Allegra during the next few hours is a French-flagged, 295-foot-long (90 meters) ocean-going fishing ship. Another ship of similar size currently is sailing toward Costa Allegra and will join two merchant ships and two tugboats expected to arrive tomorrow afternoon.
Upon arrival of the first ship, its captain will decide how to operate, depending on weather and ship conditions, to best support Costa Allegra.
Currently, Costa Allegra is steady and conditions are safe.
Costa Cruises is keeping in touch with guests' families via their emergency-contact numbers. The line also is communicating with the families of crew, most of whom are Italian and eastern European, through local crew-recruiting organizations.
Costa Allegra is in compliance with all certificates required by both national and international regulations. Moreover, in October 2011 the ship received its regularly scheduled maintenance in dry dock.

Source:  costacruises.com