Whether they are taking a short ferry trip across the English Channel or a luxury cruise through the Norwegian fjords, crew members and passengers step onboard with one expectation that exceeds all others: a safe journey.
According to Lloyd’s List Intelligence, there were 672 reported ship-related incidents onboard cruise and ferry ships in 2024. Machinery damage and failure were the biggest causes of these incidents, accounting for 484 of the occurrences. Other major contributors included fires, explosions, collisions and hull damage. The number of crimes committed by cruise passengers adds significantly to the industry’s safety and security performance. In 2024, the US Department of Transformation recorded 168 major incidents on sailings that embark and disembark in US ports. Add in minor crimes and multiply across the worlds cruise ports, and the importance of good safety and security equipment and practices is plain to see.
To prevent incidents such as these, global regulatory boards are working consistently to ensure that current challenges are being addressed, member states enforce compliance and that regulations are updated as necessary.
For instance, on 18-27 June in London, UK, the 110th session of the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee discussed the international safety management code, cybersecurity for ships and ports, recommended hours of work and rest for seafarers, and piracy against ships.
“Given the increasing number of recent incidents, I wish to urge all member states and the maritime industry to improve compliance with IMO international standards; exercise enhanced vigilance and navigational safety; ensure emergency preparedness and rapid response capabilities; and strengthen cooperation and information sharing to safeguard seafarers, vessels and marine environment,” said Arsenio Dominguez, IMO secretary general, in his opening speech.
Global cruise associations are focused on enhancing safety at sea too. According to Bud Darr, president and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association, “shipboard safety, fire protection and public health” are currently the three main priorities for improving safety and security within the global cruise industry area.
Meanwhile, Mike Corrigan, CEO of Interferry, states that the current priorities for the ferry industry are to “dispel the myths that battery electric vehicles are more dangerous to transport onboard ferries than carbon-based fuel vehicles and improve ferry safety in the developing world through Interferry’s FerrySafe initiative”.
In addition to complying with regulation and safety standards, cruise and ferry operators need to ensure their vessels have the necessary equipment to prevent, detect and respond to any emergency that appears.
Ensuring the welfare and wellbeing of everyone onboard a ship depends on 12 critical areas. Much like chemical elements that combine to form the natural building blocks of life, the cruise and ferry industry relies on an interconnected network of suppliers and authority institutions that provide solutions and guidance within these areas.
Safety
Safety in passenger shipping includes a variety of areas, including emergency training, alarm monitoring and control, fire detection and suppression, medical facilities and evacuation.
Recent advancements in technology are paving the way for more intelligent and automatic solutions to help with these processes.
For example, Marioff has launched the world’s first internet of things solution specifically designed for high-pressure water mist fire protection systems. The platform enables real-time monitoring of onboard fires, smart alerts and centralised control to help make fire protection more proactive and reliable.
Passenger ship operators must also have measures in place in case they are faced with the situation of someone falling overboard.
According to US Coast Guard data, fewer than 19 per cent of these cases result in a successful recovery. To improve this statistic, suppliers are working to develop and improve detection and tracking systems that can improve the odds for survival.
For instance, Zelim provides products for maritime search, rescue and security operations. Its Zoe solution is an AI-powered platform that provides real-time intelligent person-in-water and object detection, alerting and tracking to enhance both search efforts and sea surface monitoring operations.
“Now that Zoe technology is available and field-proven, there’s no excuse not to act,” said Matt Mitchell, founder and CEO of the International Association of Search and Rescue Coordinators (known more widely as IASARC), and director of search and rescue at Zelim. “We’re no longer talking about ideas or prototypes. These systems work, they’re deployable, they have been type approved, and they can save lives.”
Security
It is essential for every operator to ensure its ships and systems remain secure at all times. To do this, they must have solutions covering everything from surveillance and access control to baggage screening and cybersecurity.
A study from network and digital solutions provider Marlink found that in the last six months of 2024, over nine billion security events and 39 billion firewall events were recorded across 1,998 merchant and leisure vessels.
“Looking ahead to 2025, the cybersecurity landscape is expected to become increasingly complex and challenging, increasing the pressure on users to improve protection of assets and people,” said Nicolas Furgé, president of Marlink Cyber.
Cybersecurity is currently a key concern for the IMO. In March 2025, at the 49th session of the IMO’s Facilitation Committee in London, delegates developed the IMO strategy on maritime digitalisation. They also approved a revised version of the guidelines for setting up a maritime single window, which is a digital platform for exchanging required information between ships, ports and national agencies. The amendments include functions to verify information shared to enhance security while reducing the administrative burden on employees.
Navigation
Functional navigation equipment is vital for any ship, whether it be radars, weather systems, autopilot, sonar, speed measuring or collision avoidance systems. Not only do these solutions help ships travel from one point to another, but they also ensure they do it safely.
In early 2025, DanPilot and Danelec initiated a test programme for remote pilotage – the first of its kind in the world. The programme allows pilots to guide ships from land using advanced data transmitted from the vessels, which will help to increase pilot safety, operational efficiency and sustainability.
“Remote pilotage is not only a technological breakthrough, it is a strategic step towards safer and more sustainable shipping,” said Casper Jensen, CEO of Danelec. “We are proud to deliver the technological infrastructure that enables safe navigation without the physical presence of a pilot. Here, cybersecurity, a cornerstone of our technology, is a prerequisite for implementing the solution safely and at scale in the global maritime sector.”
The test programme will include approximately 50 pilotages over the course of 18 months and will serve as a foundation for the development of future regulations and possible broader application worldwide.
Communication
Communication is vital for both mitigating incidents and ensuring assistance is received in the case of an emergency. Passenger shipping operators can use multiple pieces of equipment to ensure fast and efficient communication at all times, including global maritime distress and safety systems, dedicated satellite lines, and VHF radios and satellite phones.
For ships that are sailing in open sea or visiting remote destinations, having the right infrastructure for consistent connectivity is especially important.
WMS is a solution provider that delivers wireless solutions for the cruise and ferry market. Its fully integrated global roaming network is now used by over 200 ocean vessels and provides connectivity in 175 countries.
“Cellular data is inherently more secure than Wi-Fi due to encryption requirements,” says Pramod Arora, president and CEO of WMS. “It is ideal for secure transactions that passengers, crew or operators require for applications such as mobile banking or health records. In terms of safety, cellular is ideal for applications such as voice calls in emergency situations. Connectivity can be instantaneous versus using voice over Internet protocol, where users need an application.”
Meanwhile, satellite hardware provider Intellian is due to launch a new suite of global maritime distress and safety system (GMDSS) solutions in the fourth quarter of 2025. The new portfolio includes Iridium GMDSS Certus Safety Display Terminals that will provide distress alerting and maritime safety information.
Catalysts of maritime safety
We highlight a selection of partners featured in our safety and security periodic table and explore how their solutions are contributing to a safer and more secure shipping industry
Armacell
Armacell’s ArmaFlex Ultima, is IMO-certified for safety-critical marine environments. It complies with stringent fire safety standards, making it a trusted solution for maritime applications. The material allows for quick and easy installation and achieves Euroclass BL-s1,d0 (EN 13501-1), emitting 90 per cent less smoke than conventional foams and increasing visibility in the event of a fire, enhancing safety benefits.
In addition, NH/ArmaFlex Smart C, a halogen-free insulation, is also now IMO-certified. The insulation is resistant to oils, chemicals and mechanical impact, making it suitable for demanding shipboard conditions. The solution is available in standard and self-adhesive variants, ensuring energy efficiency and condensation control.
FarSounder
Whale collisions pose a significant challenge and risk for cruise ships. Avoiding these incidents is critical for both the passenger experience and whale species survival. FarSounder’s Argos 3D Forward Looking Sonar offers a proven solution. It is the only navigational product on the maritime market capable of providing the bridge crew with a true, real-time, 3D image of the waters ahead up to 1,000 metres. Argos sonars have consistently detected whales, giving ships time to alter course and prevent strikes. This effective technology has no negative impact on whales or the environment, aligning with FarSounder’s commitment to providing a safe solution for all.
NAPA
Fifty-five per cent of onboard accidents in the last 28 years occurred while crew members were carrying out planned work, most of which took place in confined or high-risk areas, according to InterManager. NAPA’s digital Permit to Work system helps cruise and passenger ship operators take safety further. Designed to eliminate the risks of paper-based procedures, it provides step-by-step digital guidance for hazardous tasks, ensuring no safety step is missed. Real-time onboard and shoreside visibility empowers teams to act fast and catch risks early with built-in validations and automated checks. Together with NAPA Logbook, which digitises record-keeping, from MARPOL to ballast water and beyond, NAPA’s solutions make compliance intuitive and safety uncompromising.
nauticAi
As maritime operations embrace digital transformation, electronic logbooks (e-logs) are rapidly replacing paper-based records across global fleets. E-logs are not only convenient, they enhance the quality, consistency and traceability of onboard records, especially in critical compliance areas such as MARPOL Oil Record Books, Ballast Water Record Books, crew watchkeeping, bridge entries and voyage planning.
nauticAi’s e-log platform is compliant with international standards and uses a Robustel cybersecurity gateway so users benefit from secure remote management, faster reporting, better data quality and seamless integration with shore systems such as BOQA.
Survitec
For a large ferry or a cruise ship that can carry hundreds of people, rapid evacuation in an emergency is of paramount importance. With Survitec’s Marin Ark 2 solution, up to 860 people can be evacuated from a vessel in under 30 minutes with its first-in-market dual helical slide technology and tandem launching liferafts.
Even better, in day-to-day cruising, guests will barely notice it’s there, as the solution packs into a container for on-deck efficiency and easy release in emergencies. Marin Ark 2 is fully IMO and Safety of Life at Sea compliant, so operators can focus on providing the best guest experience.
Discover more insights like this in the Autumn/Winter 2025 issue of Cruise & Ferry Review. Don’t miss out – subscribe for FREE and get the next issue delivered straight to your inbox.