Ensuring maritime safety in times of rapid change in International Shipping News 18/04/2026 Operating in a rapidly evolving regulatory and technological landscape, the cruise segment is adopting a technology‑driven approach to safety, crew training, and fleet operations. Strong partnerships with trusted experts, such as those from DNV, enable Carnival Cruise Line to translate complex demands into practical, future‑ready solutions. Facing new technologies, regulations, sustainability goals, and a significant generational change, leading cruise operators are focusing on crew development and digital literacy whilst integrating tools for risk management and safety. A robust technology-enabled safety culture and fostering collaboration across all levels is key. For their next generation of newbuilds, Carnival is partnering with DNV and Fincantieri to ensure they have the safety, technological, and training support needed to meet these complex challenges. Captain Domenico Rognoni, Senior Vice President of Fleet Governance and Nautical Operations at Carnival Cruise Line, can look back on more than 40 years with the company. Overseeing maritime compliance, the Miami Fleet Operations Center, and marine professional development, he today guides a fleet of 29 ships worldwide, including eleven in DNV class and three DNV-classed newbuilds, the company’s largest to date, currently under design at Fincantieri in Italy. As our interview partner, Capt. Rognoni shares fresh insights into how Carnival is preparing for current and future challenges. His leadership, and partnerships he has fostered with key industry partners, have been instrumental in strengthening Carnival’s reputation for safety, innovation, and operational excellence. New and experienced crew members have different needs Regulatory shifts and technological change harbour both challenges and opportunities for the cruise industry, says Rognoni: “We’re dealing with two distinct groups on board. On the one hand, we’ve new crew members who have just completed their training. Whilst shipping is progressing, with new technologies and practices taking root, not all training institutions are, in my opinion, adapting their curricula at the same speed. Collaborating with DNV, we make sure our new staff is up to date in all respects.” The second challenge is keeping more experienced crew members up to date with new technologies and developments, says Rognoni: “The environment’s constantly changing, so we must make sure crews keep abreast of the state of the art, especially regarding the type of equipment we have on board.” Generic training must give way to a curriculum that expands the knowledge of crew members, he insists. “Particularly on new ships with new technology and equipment, we must make the effort to get people ready with focused training.” A new approach to crew training Carnival Corporation’s state-of-the-art, DNV-certified CSMART Academy in Almere, The Netherlands, boasts its own simulation facility where deck and technical crew receive thorough training across a wide spectrum of roles and skillsets, from nautical through to environmental. In addition, DNV has trained hundreds of ship superintendents, technical managers, and shipboard senior officers directly; custom-tailored a ship superintendent training course; and developed a train-the-trainer programme for Carnival. “Whilst we do train on a regular basis, we’ve moved beyond training just to train,” describes Rognoni. “We developed