Christine Duffy, President and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), will testify today on behalf of the cruise industry before the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation. The hearing, titled “A Review of Cruise Ship Safety and Lessons Learned from the Costa Concordia Accident,” will review the Concordia incident and explore the safety and security practices of the cruise ship industry.
The Concordia accident occurred on January 13. Immediately following the grounding of the Concordia, CLIA member cruise lines launched a Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review – a comprehensive assessment of the critical human factors and operational aspects of maritime safety. The Review, which is well underway, is comprised of four key components:
• First, an internal review by CLIA members of their own operational safety practices and procedures, covering issues of navigation, evacuation, emergency training, and related practices and procedures.
• Second, consultation on these issues with independent external experts.
• Third, the identification and sharing of industry best practices and policies, as well as possible recommendations to the IMO for substantive regulatory changes to further improve the industry’s operational safety.
• Fourth, a commitment to collaborate with the IMO, governments, and regulatory bodies to implement any necessary changes – but also to act independently and voluntarily where possible to speed safety improvements.