THREE new safety policies relating to passage
planning, bridge access and lifejackets have
been adopted by the cruise industry, and will
be implemented with immediate effect.
Announced by the European Cruise Council
and the Cruise Lines International Association
the first policy requires cruise lines to follow
the International Maritime Organisation’s
guidance on passage planning as a mandatory
minimum requirement, and to also follow the
“best practices” contained in the International
Chamber of Shipping’s Bridge Procedures Guide.
In addition, 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.
The second policy stipulates that bridge access
is to be limited to those with operational
functions during any period of restricted
maneuvering or when extra vigilance is required.
The third rule requires vessels to carry extra
adult lifejackets onboard each cruise ship in
excess of 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.
