A Royal Caribbean officer has proposed changing a key procedure in safety operations regarding cruise ships. This change would see all cruise lines holding safety drills before ships leave port the first night.
Many obervers were shocked to learn this week, that current rules only require that the safety drill be complete before the first 24 hours of a cruise is completed.
The Royal Caribbean Blog is reporting that Senior Vice-President of Marine Operations and first captain of the Oasis of the Seas, Captain William Wright, spoke about the cruise line procedures in London this week, and how cruise lines must hold their safety drill before a ship leaves port.
The Concordia had not completed a safety drill when it ran aground and capsized last week.
Captain Wright said that despite the current legislation most cruise lines do hold a safety drill before the ship leaves port on the first day. Wright expects cruise lines to ensure the drill is held immediately, even if it is inconveniences passengers, (like a late departure).
“To pass this through the IMO will be a slow process,” he said. “I believe this will be an immediate change by the industry. It has got to happen.”
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