Fire Systems Upgrade in Carnival's $300 Million Program
Emergency power capabilities also are included in the Carnival Cruise Lines plan that affects all 24 of its vessels.
In the wake of the Carnival Triumph fire in February, Carnival Cruise Lines' chief announced a $300 million program is under way to improve emergency power capabilities and upgrade fire safety systems on all 24 of its ships. A second, permanent, back-up power system will be installed on all of them, according to the company, which is a unit of Carnival Corporation & plc, which operates 101 ships overall and reported it plans to implement the latest technologies on ships that don't yet have them.
In a news release, Gerry Cahill, the president and CEO of Carnival Cruise Lines, said the upgrades "reflect our commitment to safe and reliable operations and an enjoyable cruising experience for the nearly 4.5 million guests who sail with Carnival Cruise Lines each year."
The release says the existing water mist fire suppression systems on the vessels will be upgraded to the newest generation, which will produce "a larger and thicker blanket of water droplets than the present system."
Carnival Cruise Lines also will create a Safety & Reliability Review Board of five outside experts to help the company achieve continuous improvement. "We will be responsive to its recommendations," Cahill said.