The MSC Meraviglia has a new electronic system designed to
quickly detect passengers who go overboard.
MSC said the system, developed in collaboration with Bosch and
Hewlett Packard Enterprise, was designed not to be triggered by "false positives" such as birds and sea reflections. False alarms have been a problem with previous technology, MSC
said.
MSC Cruises said the ship has been equipped with 1,200 CCTV
optical and thermal cameras that provide "nonstop comprehensive
surveillance of the relevant exterior parts of the ship."
The cameras are durable enough to withstand saltwater
exposure and atmospheric and motion challenges at sea.
Captured video images are streamed in real time to a central
security room, where the video stream is monitored.
In order to increase the accuracy of captured video images,
they are processed and analyzed by two separate and independent
image-processing systems, MSC said.
The security room personnel have direct access to officers
on the bridge. In case of alarm, an acoustic signal and light will alert the
ship's security officer, who can immediately connect to the system and acquire
all images and data and, if necessary, retrieve or review the relevant video
image before calling the bridge.
MSC said the system is the first of its kind in the industry
and that over time, similar systems will be deployed across the MSC fleet.