CLIA launched a Cruise Industry Operational Safety Review following the Costa Concordia disaster in Italy.
The Fort Lauderdale-based cruise association said the review will include a comprehensive assessment of the critical human factors and operational aspects of maritime safety.
"As best practices are identified, they will be shared among CLIA members and any appropriate recommendations will be shared with the International Maritime Organization (IMO)," CLIA said in a statement.
The association, which represents 26 cruise lines, earlier had called on the IMO, which sets global standards for ship safety, to undertake a “comprehensive evaluation from the findings” of the accident investigation being conducted by Italian authorities.
The Costa Concordia hit a rocky reef off the Italian island of Giglio on Jan. 13, causing the 3,200-passenger ship to be evacuated. Sixteen people died in the accident and at least that many remain missing.
An Italian judge has placed the ship’s captain, Francesco Schettino, under house arrest at his home near Naples while the investigation continues.
CLIA said its plan would include an internal review by its members of their own operational safety practices and procedures concerning issues of navigation, evacuation, emergency training, and related practices and procedures.
It also will include consultation with independent external experts; identification and sharing of industry best practices and policies, as well as possible recommendations to the IMO for regulatory changes to improve the industry's operational safety; and collaboration with the IMO, governments and regulatory bodies to implement any necessary regulatory changes.
CLIA said it is “fully committed to understanding the factors that contributed to the Concordia incident and is proactively responding to all maritime safety issues.”
Carnival Corp., owner of Italy-based Costa Cruises, said last week it would implement its own audit and review of safety and emergency procedures across its 10 cruise brands.
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