Cruise Ship Navigational Practices in the Central and Southern Part of the Adriatic East Coast – Biševo and Svetac Island Region

Abstract

The operational standards of the cruise industry differ from those of most shipping sectors. To meet passenger demand for appealing itineraries, cruise ships mainly sail in coastal areas with significant natural and cultural values. In addition, the emergence of new cruise destinations presents challenges for routing decisions in new cruise regions of notable natural and cultural importance, particularly as cruise ships predominantly operate in coastal navigation. This paper analyses data from a study on the navigational practices of cruise ships in the central and southern part of the Adriatic east coast in the periods: from August to October 2014; from June to July 2015 and from May to September 2022. The aim of the study is to determine the routes of cruise ships by documenting the daily movements of cruise ships of more than 50,000 GT and to determine areas of potentially elevated navigational risk by analyzing the navigation routes used, ship interactions, proximity to the coast and the characteristics of the area of the islands of Biševo and Svetac. The comparison of cruise ship navigational practices in the region over three time periods shows that the established coastal routes have become standard practice. The proximity of these routes to the coast as well as the interactions of vessels in the coastal areas indicate potential safety risks.