In the Aftermath of the Viking Sky Incident; Cruise Ship Safety in Norway and Potential Risk Reduction Measures

On March 23, 2019, the cruise ship Viking Sky with 1373 persons onboard almost grounded in severe weather conditions at Hustadvika, Norway. The near-miss incident had a major accident potential and clearly demonstrated the serious consequences that may result from loss of power and propulsion on a cruise ship close to the coastline in strong onshore winds and rough seas. This incident, combined with an increase in the cruise ship traffic in Norwegian waters, calls for risk reduction measures to be identified, evaluated, and implemented for the industry and society. It is not feasible to have sufficient search and rescue resources to handle worst-case scenarios with large cruise ships, and therefore proactive mitigation measures are necessary. This paper presents the challenges with cruise ship safety and emergency preparedness and gives recommendations for risk reduction measures. The paper is based on a White paper made by a Committee appointed by the Norwegian Government, with members (including the authors) and contributions from the industry, authorities, and academia.