SOLAS 2010

The new Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) 2010 has recently put into effect new standards of safety for all cruise ships that sail the world. Historic luxury liners such as the Rotterdam, M/S Black, M/S Van Gogh, M/S Sapphire, and many others will be required to comply with all new safety standards outlined in the SOLAS 2010.

Most luxury liners designed and built before the 1980’s will be the ships primarily affected because they were built with combustible materials. The SOLAS 2010 guidelines specifically dictate the removal and/or replacement of all combustible materials and proper usage of such materials on the ships. Due to the age of these classic ships, most are going to have to undergo major, costly changes in order to comply with SOLAS 2010 and continue to serve in a cruise ship capacity.

SOLAS 2010 requires major changes such as the removal of all combustible material on the ship, installation of smoke detectors, sprinklers, and fire alarms in all accommodations and service areas and two means of egress from all atrium levels. Most of the newer models of cruise ships have complied with the safety regulations from October 2005. However the latest requirements of SOLAS 2010 will even cause those currently in compliance additional money to completely comply with all of the new regulations. The older, classic, historic liners such as the Rotterdam will cost an estimated 15 million dollars to renovate and bring up to SOLAS 2010 code.

With costs to older, historic ships escalating to such staggering numbers, many owners are unwilling to pay that much on renovations to these classic ships. With the astronomical costs involved in renovating these timeless ships, companies are looking to sell to private owners, turn them into stationary luxury hotel and resorts, or possibly scrap the ship and invest in newer models to help maintain an acceptable profit margin. By ‘cutting’ their losses in these older, classic ships, companies can invest in more up to date, technologically advanced ships that will comply with SOLAS 2010.

It is unfortunate that some of these classic liners may never glide through the ocean again, but SOLAS 2010 promises to ensure safety for future cruise ships.