Advancing cruise ship innovation safely
From alternative fuels to fire safety and digital mustering, Royal Caribbean Group works with DNV to assess cruise ship innovations that go beyond existing regulations and turn ambitious design concepts into safe solutions.
In the cruise industry, fresh ship design ideas that make the cruise experience more exciting and awe-inspiring are what attract guests and power competition. Coming up with innovative design features and new technologies is part of the DNA of Royal Caribbean Group (RCG), one of the leading cruise operators – always with safety as the top priority.
“Fit for Purpose”: Going beyond existing safety standards
But how can RCG realize innovation where concepts require additional assessment? “We always strive for an extra level of safety,” emphasizes Jan Solum, Vice President Safety and Marine Standards at Royal Caribbean Group (RCG). “In fact, when we innovate and come up with new technologies or innovative design features, we work very closely with our class partner and other selected stakeholders to go above and beyond existing safety rules. We strive to ensure our solutions are Fit for Purpose and that often means going beyond existing rules and regulations – we want to make sure we have the safest ships.”
Enhancing damage stability and engine room safety
At RCG, any innovative concept undergoes a technology qualification process together with class. “In our newbuild projects, we have traditionally worked closely with DNV as our classification partner. We examine and evaluate new concepts together and find out what applicable rules are in place,” says Solum. “Sometimes the existing rules do not cover our innovations, so we work with DNV to identify the additional requirements or standards needed to make sure what we are doing is safe.”
This kind of collaboration is a two-way road, Solum points out – when the result is a new class notation, for example, this not only benefits RCG but also the entire industry by adding class rules for a new design option.
“DNV makes sure that its class rules as well as any Alternative Design solutions developed with clients are in line with IMO and Flag Administration requirements. For example, together with RCG we created new rules for engine room safety that significantly enhanced performance and minimized risks in that part of the ship,” says Bharat Madan, Technical Cruise Director, Miami at DNV. On an even larger scale, DNV and RCG collaborated together with technical experts, universities, maritime authorities, shipyards, and other industry stakeholders and actively engaged cruise industry forums, which resulted in new and enhanced damage stability rules. “The innovation and evolution of damage stability assessment rules have enabled large cruise ship designs in a safe and responsible manner,” Madan adds.
How Alternative Design Approval supports safe innovation
“Where no prescriptive rules exist, class societies have the option of taking the Alternative Design Approval approach according to the IMO MSC.1/Circ.1455 Guidelines,” Madan explains. Whilst the flag state and class remain impartial in terms of the actual design approval, liaising with them early in the design process can help the designers and risk assessment specialists focus their development efforts on the most promising solution that meet or exceed existing standards.
“Alternative fuels are one area where this approach is becoming especially relevant,” Madan points out. “DNV already offers class rules and guidance for a range of alternative fuel options and related shipboard solutions, supporting the industry as it explores how these fuels can be handled and used safely.”
“Fuel flexibility is a key objective for RCG,” says Solum. “As alternative fuel options mature, the task is to translate fuel-specific requirements into safe operations on board, from bunkering and fuel management to crew training.” Technology alone is not enough, he adds: “Beyond having the right fuel management and bunkering standards in place for RCG, we must also look at crew training, which is an entirely different world.” For future alternative fuel use, DNV’s crew training guidelines complement existing fuel-specific rule sets and support RCG in developing its own policies, procedures, and training programmes.
Designing open cruise spaces without compromising safety
Another Alternative Design Approval was obtained for a unique way of implementing the mandatory fire zones as stipulated by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) on board larger new cruise vessels. To create large open social or activity areas whilst ensuring fire safety, the vessel designers developed hidden fire doors that will move out of the walls in an emergency to segregate the space into individual fire zones. Concealed smoke extraction systems will remove smoke from each zone. “Besides the involvement by other stakeholders, we accomplished this with excellent support from DNV and obtained class approval, ensuring compliance with statutory requirements,” Solum points out.
E-mustering streamlines cruise ship safety drills
On a cruise vessel with up to 6,400 passengers, the mandatory muster drill at the beginning of every cruise is a task of impressive proportions, requiring all guests to report to their assigned muster station where they are to gather in an emergency. To better manage this process, RCG developed the e-mustering procedure: all guests are to watch an instructional video on the cruise line’s app and confirm this digitally, then proceed to their muster station to have their SeaPass card scanned. This new, streamlined approach avoids the hassle of guests having to return to their cabins to retrieve their life vests, and crew members having to knock on every cabin door to remind guests to muster. The crew members at the muster stations can track digitally who has watched the video and has reported, and who needs extra instruction.
Active risk management achieves ambitious safety goals
“This is yet another great example of our collaboration with DNV,” says Solum. “DNV helped us do the comprehensive risk assessment (HAZID) and the change management process that enabled us to implement the new system, including the guest and crew apps that play a crucial role.”
“We use the breadth of DNV expertise to design our innovative ships beyond current boundaries,” says Solum. “Our collaboration helps us in our ambition to be the leading cruise company whilst consistently setting new standards of excellence.”
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