The Cruise Ship Industry is a rapidly growing and profitable global business. It is regulated by several different bodies, depending on the region in which the cruise ships operate. In the United States, for example, cruise ships are regulated by the United States Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and various state environmental agencies.
The Coast Guard is responsible for the safety of passengers and crew aboard cruise ships. The Coast Guard inspects each ship to ensure it meets international standards for safety equipment, fire prevention, and emergency procedures. The first priority of the Coast Guard is to protect lives at sea by enforcing regulations related to marine safety and security.
The Department of Homeland Security oversees security on all U.S.-flagged vessels as well as any foreign-flagged vessels entering U. waters. They are responsible for ensuring that all passengers and crew members have proper identification documents and that all ships have undergone necessary security checks before entering U.S waters.
The FMC regulates common carrier services such as cruise lines involved in international transportation services from foreign ports to U.S ports or vice versa, including passenger carriers like cruise lines that provide transportation services for hire or reward between ports inside a country or between countries. The FMC also monitors pricing practices among these carriers to ensure fair competition and reasonable rates for consumers.
The EPA regulates air pollution from marine engines of commercial vessels such as cruise ships through its Vessel General Permit program which requires operators to use cleaner burning fuels and take measures to reduce discharges from their vessels into US waters and monitor compliance with fuel sulphur emissions limits set by the US government in order to reduce air pollutants contributing to global warming, acid rain, smog, haze, and other environmental problems affecting human health and ecosystems worldwide.
State environmental agencies may also regulate aspects of a vessel’s operation that could cause environmental damage such as wastewater discharge or hazardous material spills while operating in state waters.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the Cruise Ship Industry is highly regulated by many different government agencies in order to ensure passenger safety and protect our environment from damage caused by these vessels. The United States Coast Guard, Department of Homeland Security, Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), along with various state environmental agencies all play an important role in regulating this industry.