First Cruise Ship Center Of Expertise News

The Coast Guard established its first Cruise Ship Center of Expertise (COE) in Miami Sept. 30. This is the first in a series of Centers of Expertise that will be located throughout the country. Each Center of Expertise will focus on a specific segment of the maritime industry. The COE in Miami will focus on the cruise ship industry. The selection of Miami as a site for this important Center was logical since Miami has long been considered the cruise capital of the world. The cruise ship industry is an important growing industry in the U.S. According to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) more than 9 million passengers sailed from U.S. ports in 2006 and the industry directly employs approximately 34,000 U.S. residents paying them a wage income of $1.2 billion.