Editorial CommEnt
Economics and
regulation, a
permanent struggle.
the chemical tanker Ece floundering in the English Channel
following a collision with another freight vessel in January 2006.
The ship sank as it leaked its cargo of phosphoric acid.
R
egulation defines the way we build increasingly climate aware clientele. re-established Correspondence Group of
and use ships and that is the way Perhaps the most significant change in the IMO and will report back on its findings
it should be though in the cruise the cruise industry has passed compara- at the next meeting in January 2011.
sector, one could be forgiven for thinking tively un-noticed beneath the radar with Meanwhile, SLF52’s major discussions
that economics is the key factor. the South Korean yard Samsung Heavy were on the damage stability of chemical
Delivery of the Oasis of the Seas and Industries becoming the first Far Eastern tankers and the feeling from the UK
the impending delivery of its sistership yard to enter the cruise shipbuilding authorities here was that there had been
the Allure of the Seas has taken the cruise market. In building Utopia, a 900 passen- some progress. The IMO sub-committee
industry by storm. The vessel is a landmark ger 296m long vessel that will cater for a agreed that there was ambiguity in the
in terms of size and design. At 225,000gt more select clientele. Utopia, which will regulations and that guidelines for were
the vessels are the largest cruise ships ever be delivered in 2013, is a new concept necessary for owners and masters so that
built and they sport many new features, the in cruising and it is a bold project that they could comply with, what were consid-
Aquatheater, the division of the vessels into will offer the long-term lease, 75 year, ered to be adequate, regulations.
two “neighbourhoods” and the computer of cabin apartments onboard the vessel. Guidelines will be separated into two
systems that are built on wi-fi and fibre The ship will then travel to regions where sections, the design and application of
optics are state of the art. major events are taking place, such as stability information that will make certain
Redefining the cruise experience the the football World Cup or other world that a vessel design complies with regula-
Oasis has raised the bar, but is bigger events and passengers will be able to tions; and secondly the operational aspects
necessarily better? Luring passengers to attend these events from, effectively the of loading a tanker that will help masters,
large ships may be more difficult in the comfort of their own home. Apartments surveyors and inspectors to be certain that
future, even as the global economies slowly will range in price from US$3.7 million a vessel complies with regulations.
revive. Costa Crociere have also taken to US$25million and will go on sale this Agreement on the need for guidelines
delivery of the Costa Luminosa, but this year. It remains to be seen how well the was reached despite the concerns of some
is a far smaller, 92,000gt, more flexible apartments sell and how successful this parties, notably the delegation from
vessel. Costa Luminosa and its sister- new type of cruising will be. the Cook Islands and the non-govern-
ship Costa Deliziosa are small enough to Many of these cruise ships have been ment organisation International Parcel
traverse the locks of the Panama Canal, but designed using the International Maritime Tanker Association which acts as an
large enough to sport the world’s largest Organization’s (IMO) probabilistic rules advisor, as do other organisations, to the
“wellness centre” on a cruise ship and and are considered to be amongst the safest sub-committee.
Formula 1 and golf simulators and a Joseph ships around. In fact the Oasis had more According to source’s at the IMO the
Farcus designed interior. From the fjords of than 9000 damage scenarios tested under major concern from the Cook Islands
Norway to Dubai and the Americas Costa these new regulations. delegation was that the UK and its
Crociere’s new vessels will be capable of Smaller passenger ships with long low co-sponsors had not demonstrated a
operating in most markets. holds, such as ro-ro ferries may turn out compelling need for guidelines. The
Both vessel types have had rigorous to be less safe as the UK authorities at the delegation said that the conclusions
safety assessments and lay claim to being IMO’s SLF52 committee meeting pointed reached were based on research that
more efficient and environmentally out at the end of January. used a sample that was too small to be
friendly as required by regulation and an The UK group will now lead the conclusive. NA
The Naval Architect February 2010 7
NA Feb10 -
p7.indd 5 03/02/2010 16:46:20
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