Cruise Ship and Global Safety
In 2004 alone, approximately 10.8 million individuals took North American cruise vacations, and cruising is only anticipated to continue to gain popularity, with an estimated 20.7 million cruise voyagers in 2010.
Beginning in the year 1980, the North American cruise industry (which consists of the bulk of the global cruise market) has experienced an average annual passenger growth rate of 8.1%. Cruise maximum capacity has also increased by over 450% over the same period, with approximately 225,714 beds accessible in 2004.
American ports handle about 2/3 of world-wide cruise boarding, and 77% of the travelers are American residents. The North American cruise commerce has had general passenger occupancies at maximum capacity in recent years, with popular destinations ranging from the Caribbean, to the Mediterranean, and even Alaska, Europe, and the western coastline of Mexico.
Cruise itineraries are ever increasing to include countries and ports not easily accessible by alternate means of travel, allowing travelers to vacation at multiple worldly destinations in the comfort and style naturally offered by luxury world cruise ships. Around the world cruise ships provide a gathering place for the global community, where travelers and crew members from all over the world come together and blend a wide diversity of cultures.
Cruise vessels and all ocean-going ships engaged in global commerce fly flags of registry, which are a requirement for operation in international waters. Cruise lines often decide to register either in their nation of ownership or ship production or in nations that supply open maritime registration, also known as “Flags of Convenience.”
Cruise ships are most typically registered in the Netherlands, Norway, America, the United Kingdom, Liberia, Panama, and the Bahamas. Flag registry countries provide comprehensive maritime proficiency and administrative services, require yearly safety inspections prior to the issuance of a passenger vessel certificate, and supervise vessel compliance with international maritime laws and regulations, in addition to flag state standards.
The World Health Organization’s International Health Regulations specify health and sanitation requirements for international transportation as well. In America, the United States Coast Guard implements maritime safety requirements, and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (C.D.C.) has regulatory responsibilities for public health and sanitation on cruise vessels headed for American ports from any foreign ports.
The safety regulations cover elements such as watertight integrity, hull structure, equipment requirements for proper firefighting, lifesaving, and ship control, structural regulations to reduce fire hazards, and requirements concerning safe navigation of the ship. In addition to meeting these regulations, the United States Coast Guard annually inspects all ocean-going cruise vessels of American registry. If the vessel passes its yearly inspection, it will be issued a Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection that will be valid for one year. The vessel must display the certification where all passengers can view it.
Each vessel is subject to the ship inspection laws of the country that it is registered in. However, as a stipulation of allowing the ships to take on passengers at American ports, the United States Coast Guard requires the vessels to meet the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (S.O.L.A.S.). SOLAS and other international policies also require observance of strict regulations in regards to structural fire protection, lifesaving and firefighting equipment, vessel stability and integrity, ship control, navigation safety, crew competency, safety management and environmental protection.
In order to ensure that all SOLAS regulations are complied with, the Coast Guard will inspect the watercraft when it first begins service at an American port, with quarterly verifications following. The assessments place the heaviest emphasis on structural fire safety and accurate lifesaving equipment. Fire and abandon ship drills performed by the vessel’s crew are observed, and operational trials are made on crucial pieces of equipment such as the steering system, lifeboats, and fire pumps. The Coast Guard has authorization to call for the improvement of any faulty equipment or practices prior to permitting the watercraft to take on passengers at the American port. The accounts of these examinations are available to the general public at the Coast Guard Marine Safety Office (MSO) that performed the examination.
Tags: luxury world cruise | luxury world cruise | cruise ships | cruise
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