The factors affecting cruise ships' evacuation efficiency

In the maritime industry, the full evacuation of cruise ships is considered one of the most dangerous tasks. The evacuation's effectiveness may be described as a function of the crew's readiness at a given time because it changes during the 24-hour periods, but it also depends on the ship's activity at the time (sailing, berthing/unberthing, manoeuvring, etc.). The evacuation's effectiveness may also be understood as the time required to rescue all persons on board. In both cases, the critical factor is the crew's ability to perform as a team under exceptional circumstances. The crew's ability to perform effectively is demonstrated in timely decision-making and proper execution of the required actions. The SOLAS Convention and IMO Resolution MSC/Circ. 1533 specifies the maximum allowable duration of the evacuation to be achieved by evacuation drills. The research's main objective was to identify the current state of affairs on large passenger ships (knowledge and procedural gaps) and the key factors that may jeopardise evacuation effectiveness. It mostly focuses on crew readiness as the most critical factor. The research activities lasted from September 2020 through September 2021 and involved questionnaires and interviews of 81 seafarers from 24 cruise companies. The paper to be presented demonstrates the research methodology, assumed and actual restrictions, and findings. Finally, the paper also indicates the main conclusions and recommendations, particularly those that may be included in the international regulatory framework.