New approach to safety of small passenger ships

The European Commission has adopted a proposal to coordinate safety rules for small passenger ships (less than 24 meters in length). It is the first time a common safety framework for all small passenger ships has been presented at EU level.

555 accidents were recorded between 2011 and 2017 in the European Marine Casualty Information Platform (EMCIP) for this class of ships, with 165 injured people and 11 deaths.

The proposal recommends Member States to follow common safety goals and functional requirements for small passenger ships – such as for ship design, fire hazards and emergency situations. The requirements, if endorsed and further developed by Member States, would provide a common level of safety for passengers sailing domestically and facilitate access for manufacturers and operators to the wider EU market.