Human behaviour · 2026

Designing healthier circulation on cruise ships

How can ship layouts reduce close contacts? Agent-based simulations compare passenger movement across cruise decks, occupancy levels, and access restrictions. The study finds that corridor width, connectivity, and the placement of restricted zones change congestion and contact patterns. Close-contact events serve as a proxy for transmission risk; the results describe simulated movement, rather than measured infections.

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Deck plans of three cruise ships, with their studied areas and circulation layouts. — Three cruise-deck layouts used to study passenger movement and close contacts.
Pan et al., Published article, Cambridge repository copy, Figure 4. Extracted from PDF page 6; page surroundings cropped; figure content unchanged. Source · CC BY 4.0.
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Journal article

Spatial and operational interventions for healthy cruise ship design using agent-based modelling

Jiayu Pan, Leonel Aguilar, Michal Gath-Morad, Ronita Bardhan, Koen Steemers

Travel Behaviour and Society · 2026

Summary based on Published article, Cambridge repository copy, PDF pages 1, 18, 19.

DOI: 10.1016/j.tbs.2026.101232