Safety at Sea

The MV Explorer: Constructed for Safety

Our floating campus, the MV Explorer, is one of the safest, fastest, and most advanced ships on the water.

• Built in 2002 by Blohm and Voss, a respected German shipbuilding company, it includes the latest technology related to navigation, safety, speed, and fuel efficiency.

• Our ship can reach a cruising speed of 28 knots, so it can quickly get to safety in the rare event of weather-related or other danger.
• The bridge (the area on the ship where navigation and other systems are controlled) is staffed 24/7 with senior-level officers who continually monitor the seas for safe operation and who receive advanced emergency training.
• The 25-foot-draft (distance between the waterline and the keel) of our ship makes it stable, fast, efficient, and well-suited for transatlantic crossings.
• A state-of-the-art fire detection and sprinkler system makes the ship exceptionally safe, as fire is the leading risk at sea.

Evaluated for Safety

At Semester at Sea, our aim is to surpass all U.S. and international safety regulations prescribed by the International Maritime Organization, established in 1948 by the United Nations as the first international body devoted exclusively to maritime safety.

We undergo a series of detailed inspections each year to ensure we are in full compliance with regulations, and more often than not we exceed requirements. For example:

• The world's leading objective broker for maritime services, Det Norske Veritas (DNV), has described our ship as "one of the safest afloat."
• We were ranked in the 99th percentile by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). This means we are operating at a level of safety that is ahead of standards.
• We are annually inspected by Germanischer LLoyd, an impartial and independent classification society based in Hamburg, Germany, to further ensure we meet or exceed all international safety codes.
• Our excellence in emergency response procedures, such as fire or lifeboat drills, is continuously evaluated by the U.S. Coast Guard and we receive excellent ratings.
• The CDC Vessel Sanitation Program makes certain we maintain our exceptional level of food preparation and hygienic practices. A January 2008 surprise inspection of the ship resulted in a perfect score of 100% excellence. We have never had an occurrence of Norovirus or similar outbreak. See our perfect 100 score on the CDC website.

Staffed for Safety

Semester at Sea partners with V.Ships—the world's largest and most reputable international fleet management company in the world-to manage the technical and operational aspects of the MV Explorer.

• The ship is managed by a Captain, Staff Captain, Safety Officer, and Chief Engineer. Much like a business is operated by senior-level VPs, our ship is operated by seasoned officers who are among the best in their field in the world.
• Our more than 200+ member international crew are continuously trained and evaluated on emergency procedures, including lifeboat drills.
• Many crew are long-time employees of Semester at Sea and know our program inside and out. They are valued partners who not only serve the participants aboard but who care about them and advocate for their safety.