Technology benchmarking needed before building new ships, says RINA

Plan before you build

Ro-Ro Passenger Ships Manager for RINA, Maria Garbarini, recommended following the BioSafe index before building cruise ships during the class society’s recent webinar.

Made up of points that need to be met to achieve Biosafety Trust Certification and Biosafe class, Garbarini discussed 24 risk factors that ship companies must address to comply with local, national and international requirements, most of which require the use of the latest technologies.

These include: boarding and debarking passengers and crew, infection spread management, recreational activity safety measures and keeping work spaces, food preparation and dining areas, toilets and medical facility centres.

‘“Normal” doesn’t exist anymore’, said Daniele Pozzo, RINA’s head of Industry Innovation & Strategy Business Development, ‘Now it’s about technology benchmarking – understanding the pros and cons of each option and which designs are not fit for the industry.

He reassured ship owners by saying, ‘It’s about developing a full system with the industry that works for the industry’.

Technology

‘AI technology can be applied easily and integrated with video systems already on board ships’, Pozzo went onto add as he spoke about the use of intelligent algorithms.

Customised gates integrating advanced thermo cameras for temperature monitoring was put forward as a boarding safety measure to enable safe sightseeing and shore excursions, as well as Bluetooth technology for tracking movements on board vessels, allowing alerts to be sent to passengers notifying them of free and maximum occupied areas.

Rethinking plant design to optimise distribution of air flows, drones using UV-C surface and air disinfection technology, sanification boxes for small objects, and PPE monitoring using algorithms to detect crew members without face masks were also amongst the number of potential measures.

Crew

Joost Van Ree, director, Partner Relations at CLIA claimed that 96 ships were repositioned in mid-May, with difficulties now getting crew back on ships for maintenance during hot-lay-up amid border closures.

In reference to food and beverage, Van Ree commented that there will need to be modification or elimination of on board buffets moving forward.

Andrea Cogliolo, senior director, Marine Business Development, RINA, Alessandro Marcello, group leader of molecular virology at the International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology and Giorgio De Sciroa, director North America Passenger Excellence Center at RINA USA also took part in the webinar, which was closed by Paolo Moretti, ceo, RINA who reiterated the importance of measures being taken.