The cruise industry’s trade body and MSC Cruises have insisted that no ships will sail unless stringent safety standards are met.
Clia issued a statement of clarification after MSC Cruises new luxury sister brand Explora Journeys confirmed that an issue with materials used on its first ship Explora I had led to the cancellation of its maiden cruise from Southampton next week.
The launch of the ship was reported by the Financial Times on Saturday to have been delayed because of faulty fire-resistant panels.
Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri was said to have first been informed at the end of May that a supplier had lost its safety certification for one type of panel used to equip Explora I, the first in a fleet of vessels planned for the MSC Cruises luxury sister brand.
More: Explora Journeys cancels Explora I delivery ceremony
One of the ships affected is the MSC Euribia delivered by French shipyard Chantiers de L’Atlantique at the end of May.
As many as 45 ships in operation across the industry were said to have been identified with the faulty panels.
The disclosure triggered reaction from both Clia and MSC Cruises.
A Clia spokesperson said: “The safety of passengers and crew is the highest priority for the cruise industry and our cruise line members – as is evident by the industry’s strong safety record and multi-layered approach to regulation, testing, certification, and ongoing inspection of ships.
“Accordingly, only ships that have full confirmation of safety and related certifications are launched.”
MSC Cruises said: “All of the ships in the MSC Cruises’ fleet have passed a series of stringent safety certifications and operate under strict international, national and local regulations – as well as undergoing multiple inspections on an ongoing and frequent basis.
“As soon as the issue with the materials used on Explora I, came to light Explora Journeys, our sister company, took the responsible decision not to take delivery of the ship, even though this meant that the first sailing was cancelled to ensure that the ship will have the appropriate certifications when she comes into service.
“We are working closely with Fincantieri to deal with the issue swiftly and appropriately to ensure the safety and compliance of the ship.”
The company added: “Other ships afloat with the same insulation tiles are not automatically implicated, however our other shipbuilder Chantiers de l’Atlantique is working with the classification society and maritime industry experts to analyse the situation for MSC Euribia in detail and performing the necessary tests and we will then develop any necessary action plans if required.”
MSC Cruises said it was analysing the situation with the respective shipbuilders, Fincaniteri and Chantiers de l’Atlantique, in conjunction with regulatory bodies “and will develop any necessary action plans if required”.
“The safety of our passengers and crew is our utmost priority and all of our ships have in place the required safety systems and procedures.”
Carnival Corporation, the world’s biggest cruise operator, told the FT the panels in question were fitted on one ship in its fleet but they had passed “all required certifications at the time of installation”.
However, it said it was aware of the recent test failure.
“While we have seen no indication of any issues with the insulation actually installed on our ship, we are looking into the test results and discussing them with the relevant flag state regulators and authorities,” the company reportedly said. “We will, of course, take whatever action necessary to ensure the continued safety and security of our guests and crew.”