CLIA appointed a four-member panel of maritime and safety experts to assess recommendations from its Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review, which was created after the Costa Concordia accident in Italy.
The ship, operated by Italy-based Costa Cruises, hit a rocky reef off the Italian coast on Jan. 13. Thirty-two passengers and crew died.
CLIA said that the panel of experts will “evaluate suggested policy improvements as part of its continuous efforts to review and improve safety measures by developing comprehensive best practices for industry-wide implementation.”
Appropriate measures gleaned from the review ultimately will be submitted to the International Maritime Organization, CLIA said.
“The impartial opinions and advice of these distinguished experts will help achieve our goal of continuous improvement and innovation in shipboard operations and safety,” said Christine Duffy, president and CEO of CLIA.
The panel members are: Mark Rosenker, former chairman of the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), a retired major general for the U.S Air Force Reserve and former director of the White House Military Office; Stephen Meyer, a retired admiral of the Royal Navy and former head of the U.K. Marine Accident Investigation Branch; Jack Spencer, former chief of the NTSB's Office of Marine Safety; and Willem de Ruiter, former head of the European Maritime Safety Agency.
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