Safety at sea has always depended on robust regulation, skilled crews and proven equipment and technology.
The new 2026-2027 World Maritime Day campaign from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), ‘From Policy to Practice: Powering Maritime Excellence’, emphasises the need for the global regulatory approach developed by the IMO to not just be adopted ‘in principle’, but to drive concrete action and real-world results. IMO secretary-general Arsenio Dominguez said: “When we talk about ‘practice’, we are talking about people. The seafarers on the ship; the people in the port; those managing ship operations, ship recycling workers, port state control officers and flag state administrators. To make the maritime industry truly sustainable, we must ensure these high standards are felt in every port and on every deck – not selectively, not unevenly, but globally. IMO is committed to powering this transition through technical cooperation and direct support.”
IMO audits have revealed gaps in enforcement among United Nations member states, which it says increase the risk of unsafe shipping. The new campaign focuses on nine pillars, covering areas such as capacity development, innovation, decarbonisation, cybersecurity and ocean protection.
The Maritime Safety Committee of the IMO held its 111th meeting in May 2026, in London. Highlights from the meeting included continued work on the safety regulatory framework for ships using new technologies and alternative fuels. The committee approved new guidelines for the safety of ships using hydrogen and ammonia as fuel, and training guidelines for seafarers on ships using alternative fuels. With the world’s first hydrogen cruise ship, Viking Libra, built by Fincantieri, floated out in March 2026, and several hydrogen-powered ferries already in operation, these guidelines will become more important to the passenger shipping sector as the adoption of alternative fuels progresses.
The committee also adopted a new non-mandatory International Code of Safety for Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships (MASS Code) to support the safe integration of AI-enabled and remotely operated commercial ships into global shipping. While the MASS Code currently applies exclusively to cargo ships, the IMO has plans to evaluate and potentially expand the rules to cover passenger shipping. With autonomous ferries already deployed in Japan and Scandinavia, safety of autonomous ships is likely to rapidly come into focus.
According to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), its members have adopted a range of operational safety policies that exceed existing Safety of Life at Sea requirements in several areas, including bridge procedures, fire safety, passenger emergency musters, lifeboat loading, lifejacket provision and the recording of passenger nationality to support search and rescue operations. The chief executive of every CLIA oceangoing member line annually certifies that these policies have been implemented, reinforcing accountability and encouraging continuous improvement across the sector.
In 2025, Cruise & Ferry unveiled its ‘Periodic Table of Safety & Security Elements’, which features organisations that have products, technologies or expertise that can contribute to safer passenger shipping, organised into twelve categories. Together, they demonstrate that safety is achieved through the combined efforts of the global maritime community as it continuously innovates to protect passengers and crew.
Below, we highlight four more of the companies that form part of this Periodic Table, and profile their contributions to a safer and more secure shipping industry.
CBG Systems
Australia-based CBG Systems (CBG) has been providing a range of lightweight fire insulation panels to the marine industry for over 30 years.
The Rapid Access Composite (RAC) Plus system (A-60 SFP) and B15 Lite represent CBG’s commitment to preserving and protecting life at sea, driving continuous improvement across the world’s passenger shipping fleet.
As electric propulsion transforms the maritime industry, these systems deliver premium fire safety precisely where it matters most, safeguarding battery systems and electrical infrastructure. RAC Plus (A-60 SFP), which comes in the form of wall panelling, can withstand temperatures of more than 1,000oC and offer at least 60 minutes of fire protection. It weighs just 4.5 kilos per square metre.
B15 Lite is a class partition and ceiling system for use in lightweight applications of deckheads and bulkheads. It weighs 7.5 kilos per square metre. Together, RAC Plus and B15 Lite offer operators weight savings and safety.
Lloyd’s Register
Lloyd’s Register (LR) is an international marine shipping classification, ship design, energy transition advisory, compliance and consultancy services provider.
The latest research from LR’s digital transformation research programme, ‘Effective Alarm Management in the Maritime Industry’, analysed more than 40 million alarm-related events across 11 operational vessels and found that excessive, nuisance and poorly prioritised alarms can overwhelm crews, disrupt rest and erode trust in critical safety systems.
LR’s advisory approach combines alarm system auditing, performance assessment, rationalisation, prioritisation and response procedure development to help operators identify the causes of alarm flooding and reduce unnecessary alerts.
A pilot project on an operational cruise ship cut total alarm numbers by almost 50 per cent over a six-month period through practical engineering interventions, without major redesign.
Cruise & Ferry’s ‘Periodic Table of Safety & Security Elements’ features organisations that have products, technologies or expertise that can contribute to safer passenger shipping, organised into twelve categories
NAPA
NAPA provides maritime software and data services for ship design and operations to enable a safer, more sustainable and future-proof maritime industry.
More than half of enclosed-space accidents in the past 30 years happened during planned work, not freak events, industry data from shipping association InterManager has revealed. Safety fails in the routine. NAPA’s connected safety solutions bring that routine under control, from ship to shore. NAPA Permit to Work replaces paper permits with guided digital workflows for high-risk tasks, already in use by leading fleets globally. NAPA Checklist, launched in August 2026, does the same for everyday checklists: the right step, in the right order, recorded as it happens. Both feed NAPA Fleet Intelligence, so shore teams see completion and compliance across the whole fleet in real time, not after an inspection.
Safety at Sea
Based in Glasgow, Scotland, Safety at Sea is a maritime software engineering and consultancy company that specialises in safe return to port (SRTP) compliance, evacuation analysis and pedestrian dynamics.
Safety at Sea’s SRtP Onboard solution turns complex SRTP procedures into a clear, coordinated response process. It provides crew with casualty-specific instructions, assigns actions to individuals or mobile teams, and delivers step-by-step action cards through Wi-Fi-connected tablets. Senior officers can monitor progress in real time, identify delays and access linked vessel documentation for diagnosis and decision-making. The software also supports drills, captures lessons learned and produces auditable records, helping operators strengthen crew preparedness, reduce response complexity, maintain accurate onboard knowledge, and demonstrate continuing regulatory compliance throughout the vessel’s operational life.