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Carnival Corp. & plc initiates safety audit across all its brands

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Hunn - to lead comprehensive safety review
Spurred by the Costa Concordia tragedy, Carnival Corp. & plc is undertaking a comprehensive audit and review of safety and emergency response procedures across all its brands. Carnival said it and the cruise industry as a whole have maintained ‘an excellent safety record’ over the years. ‘However, this tragedy has called into question our company’s safety and emergency response procedures and practices,’ said Carnival chairman and ceo Micky Arison. ‘While I have every confidence in the safety of our vessels and the professionalism of our crews, this review will evaluate all practices and procedures to make sure that this kind of accident doesn’t happen again.’

The review is being led by an inside man: Capt. James Hunn, a retired US Navy captain who is the company’s svp maritime policy and compliance. Following a 32-year Navy career, Hunn has held senior positions at Carnival Corp. for nearly a decade, focusing on company-wide efforts to establish maritime policy standards while overseeing health, environmental, safety and security practices.

Carnival said Hunn and senior health and safety executives from each of the lines will review all safety and emergency response policies and procedures, officer and crew training and evaluation, bridge management and company-wide response and support efforts. Hunn will report to the Health, Environment, Safety & Security Committee of the board, and to Howard Frank, vice chairman and coo of Carnival Corp. & plc.

In addition, Carnival’s Health, Environment, Safety & Security Committee plans to engage outside industry-leading experts in the fields of emergency response organization, training and implementation to conduct an audit of all of the company’s emergency response and safety procedures and to conduct a thorough review of the Costa Concordia accident.

Frank said, ‘This company-wide initiative will identify lessons learned and best practices to further ensure the security and safety of all of our passengers and crew.’

Further, Carnival voiced support for the call for a comprehensive evaluation of safety regulations by the International Maritime Organization, which was requested earlier today by the Cruise Lines International Association.