It's time to reexamine international safety regulations, particularly as an investigation reveals what went wrong off the Tuscan coast. The International Maritime Organization should conduct a stem-to-stern review of safety system requirements, as well as damage-control and stability criteria for passenger vessels. And the United States must take a leadership role, guided by our official guardians of sea safety, the Coast Guard.
The sinking of the Titanic almost 100 years ago led to the first international law on passenger-vessel safety, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, or SOLAS. Thanks to SOLAS and its progeny, today's cruise ships are equipped with life boats, life jackets for all passengers, and damage-control equipment.
Since 1914, ships and their systems have evolved technologically and grown in size and capacity. The typical cruise ship today carries 2,700 passengers and 800 crew, and has 4,000 smoke detectors, 500 fire extinguishers, 5,000 sprinkler heads, 16 miles of sprinkler piping, and six miles of fire hose.
However, in a crisis, technology is no replacement for trained people. Knowing how to operate damage-control equipment and direct passengers to safety can mean the difference between life and death.
The Coast Guard is charged with oversight of safety systems in all cruise ships calling on U.S. ports, regardless of their origin. Its inspections, announced and unannounced, are rigorous, beginning during ships' construction. Inspectors conduct quarterly visits and board cruise ships annually to check for compliance with federal and international laws.
