Departments

Dampa to supply ceilings for AIDA Cruises’ two newbuildings

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 10 April 2014 10 April 2014

Dampa, the Danish marine celing system specialist, says round 150-200 tons of metal ceilings and panels will continuously be transported from Denmark to Japan for use on board the two 124,500 gross ton cruise ships AIDA Cruises has an order at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. over the next two years and the great volume of metal ceilings are produced in Tommerup on the small island of Funen.

“We have known for a long time that the order was probably on the way. Today we got the final confirmation, says Michael Nykjær, co of Dampa. – “We have won the contract for the supply of fireproof ceilings for the two new ships of AIDA Cruises cruise ships ahead of both European and Asian competitors. It is, of course, interesting for us to expand our business horizons to working with a giant such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and it is exciting to be involved in the building of two ships that are so far ahead technologically and design wise,” he said in a statement.

" From the start we worked hard to follow up on this potential chance to become a part of the project. Here in Denmark and through our agent in Japan, we have worked on the two orders for nearly two years. The process has been delayed and Nnow suddenly everything is happening very fast. We start delivering our special B15 fireproof panels in May 2014. The plan is for one of the cruise ships to be ready for use in the beginning of 2015 and the other one should be finished in Q1 2016.

- "From the reports I’ve had from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, they chose us because of our service and product and a good price. Also, it has certainly played a role that we've been willing to share our know-how in the initial round of presentations, assisting MHI and AIDA Cruises with on-site technical assistance in building mock ups and getting an international brand approval. I am pleased to note that our reputation runs ahead of us - even all the way to Japan. We have extensive experience and because our products fit together like Lego blocks, they are easy to work with for the ship builders. This helps us to stand out in bidding rounds,” says Michael Nykjær

Plug & Play

Michael Nykjær has been the ceo of Dampa since October 2012 and he has laid out a clear strategy, combining the old company's traditional virtues of quality, durability, millimeter precision and easy handling with innovation. DAMPA’s perfect fit is one of the main reasons why clients choose his particular metal panels. Precision means significant savings in installation time and can provide the client with great savings on operational costs in the long run. Product development is about developing hidden installations that do not disrupt the overall ceiling surface visually.

“Marine ceiling systems are first and foremost about safety, installation time and price but we are continuously working with product development. Right now we are working on the visual side of the installation system, LED lighting and acoustics. That way we meet the needs of clients and adapt to the market as it stands today. In all modesty, when it comes to marine ceiling systems, we are way ahead of most competitors because we work around the clients’ needs 360 degrees.”

“ Each panel is prefabricated and customized to the exact place it should be fitted. We pre-fabricate holes for fittings, sprinklers , speakers, etc. At the same time we deliver the panels in boxes sent to the specific room and deck of the ship where this specific box of panels is to be installed. Some of our competitors deliver on huge pallets and leave it to the shipbuilders to figure out the rest. Our panels and supplies are customized so the shipbuilders just have to bend down and put up the panels with four clicks. “This kind of perfect fitting can save huge amounts of time and money for a shipyard. We may not sell the cheapest panels in the market but we still end up being the supplier that offers the lowest price and the most attractive total economy.”

Three classification societies approve Wärtsilä propulsion condition monitoring service

Details: Written by Kari Reinikainen Kari Reinikainen; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 08 April 2014 08 April 2014

Wärtsilä, the Finnish propulsion system and technical services provider, says it has received service level recognition for its Propulsion Condition Monitoring Service (PCMS) by DNV-GL. Wärtsilä is the first company to attain this type of recognition from three of the major classification societies, the American Bureau of Shipping, Lloyd's Register and DNV-GL.

The approval, which was received in February 2014, means that surveyors from the classification societies may rely on Wärtsilä's PCMS when assessing propulsion equipment. This eliminates the need for the compulsory five-year internal inspection, which often requires dry-docking. Instead, with the Wärtsilä PCMS continuously monitoring the equipment, major thruster overhauls can be carried out at intervals of anywhere between five and 10 years, based on the actual condition of the propulsion equipment. PCMS increases the reliability and availability of monitored equipment and reduces overall lifecycle costs.

The service level recognition represents confirmation that Wärtsilä's PCMS is well suited for its intended purpose of condition monitoring and condition based maintenance of propulsion equipment. Furthermore, by replacing visual internal inspections with a yearly review of the PCMS reports, surveyors can more easily make decisions affecting classification or statutory surveys to ensure compliance with applicable class rules and various international conventions.

"Financially this will have a big efficiency impact on the operations of marine customers. PCMS enables condition based maintenance and eliminates the need to perform an overhaul simultaneously with the compulsory five year inspections, unless of course, PCMS shows there is a need for it. Prior to attaining this service level recognition, approvals could only be given on a vessel by vessel basis. With the service level recognition, this will become much easier," says Frank Velthuis, Manager of Wärtsilä's CBM Centre Propulsion.

Wärtsilä sees its condition and performance monitoring services as being a prerequisite to supporting customers in the future, and a logical complement to its service agreements business. Monitoring the performance and condition of a ship's equipment enables owners to optimise its usage and predict the maintenance need, thereby improving asset performance and reducing the total cost of ownership.

MTN and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines extend four-year relationship

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 02 April 2014 02 April 2014

MTN Communications (MTN) announces Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines has extended its four-year relationship with the company. Fred.Olsen chose to increase the breadth of communications, and content services and support, MTN provides. Passengers have increased expectations to stay connected, even when on vacation. The MTN partnership includes an enhanced onboard suite of connectivity options for those passengers, as well as for crew. MTN will continue to provide crew calling and its Worldwide TV service (MTN TV).

Known for exclusive service catering to European travelers, Fred.Olsen itineraries include the Caribbean, Mediterranean and Baltic regions; Norway; the British Isles and Africa.

“Considering our itineraries, we want to provide the best at-sea experience possible for our guests and our crew,” said Peter Deer, commercial director, Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines. “Communications are critical to that equation. Over the years, MTN has delivered value and service excellence, and with a great degree of flexibility as our needs to provide communication products and services expanded. It is clear we have a common vision of how communications at sea should be managed, and MTN continues to support our business needs.”

MTN operates a worldwide connectivity footprint through its combined satellite and terrestrial network across the globe. The pioneer of cruise industry communications, MTN is the leader in delivering innovation, value and service excellence to its customer base.

“MTN looks forward to its continued partnership with Fred.Olsen Cruise Lines,” said Brent Horwitz, senior vice president and general manager, Cruise and Ferry Services, MTN. “As it adopts new products to its communications portfolio delivered by MTN, we are confident it will not only increase user satisfaction and acceptance but deliver a service that exceeds the expectations of both passengers and crew.”

Cruise Shipping Miami 2014 achieves record attendance

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 29 March 2014 29 March 2014

The 2014 Cruise Shipping Miami conference and exhibition that ran from Monday, March 10 through Thursday, March 13, at the Miami Beach Convention Center posted record attendance and the largest exhibition in the event's 30-year history.

The annual gathering had nearly 12,000 total registrations, a 10 percent increase over the 2013 show. The trade show, which was 10 percent larger than last year, featured 142 new exhibitors for a total of just less than 900 exhibiting companies from 127 countries. UBM reports that 40 percent of this year's exhibitors have already booked space in the 2015 event, scheduled for March 16-19.

"The ongoing evolution of CSM and the changes we made each year come directly from the feedback we receive from all stakeholders in the cruise industry," said Daniel Read, director of UBM's Cruise Event Portfolio. "The tightly focused conference sessions, the introduction of more flagship sessions with the regional 'State of the Cruise Industry' panels and Cruise Trends Theater all contributed to the show's high energy level and record participation."

Cruise Shipping Miami 2014 drew cruise executive delegates representing 70 cruise lines as well as delegates and visitors who comprise the industry's top movers and shakers. Reporting on the event were 350 journalists from 15 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia.

Setting the tone for the four-day event was the all-new "State of the Global Cruise Industry" session March 11 featuring Arnold Donald, president and CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc; Richard Fain, chairman of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd.; Kevin Sheehan, CEO and president of Norwegian Cruise Line; and Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Cruises.

In addition to its new name and format, the opening panel had BBC's Katty Kay, anchor of "BBC World News America," as the event's first moderator from outside the cruise industry.

New for 2014 were three regional "State of the Cruise Industry" panels led by cruise line chief executives addressing trends and developments in the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific.

Panelists discussed a wide range of industry trends and developments during the course of the four-day conference. Emerging themes included a focus on attracting Millennials to cruising, rapid expansion of the Asia-Pacific market, growth of river and expedition cruising, and the significant investments seaports are making to attract and keep cruise line business.

The exhibition, which covered all four halls of the Miami Beach Convention Center, included the world's largest shipbuilders, 410 cruise destinations, cutting-edge information technology providers, ship equipment suppliers and entertainment companies. New this year was an interactive Food & Beverage Pavilion focusing on the latest in shipboard culinary trends, products and equipment. Other industry sectors included ship design and refurbishment, ship services and hotel operations.

The New for 2014 Cruise Trends Theater enabled suppliers to the industry to make presentations to their audiences from a purpose-built platform on the trade show floor.

Cruise Shipping Miami is the global flagship of UBM's Cruise Events Portfolio, which includes the annual Cruise Shipping Asia-Pacific and the biennial Seatrade Med Cruise Convention.

MCP's new ship communications technology: A VAVE of the future?

Details: Written by Teijo Niemelä Teijo Niemelä; Category: Products & services Products & services; Published: 14 March 2014 14 March 2014

By John Roberts

Marine Communications Partner has an ambitious plan to help foster a “micro-community” within a cruise ship.

MCP’s VAVE technology uses a ship’s GSM signal (used for cellular networks) and Wi-Fi network to generate a shipwide “cloud,” which passengers can access to view a broad range of information on their mobile devices or laptops anywhere on the ship, says Ole-Kristian Sivertsen, MCP’s senior vice president of business innovation. Sivertsen spoke about the company’s new platform in an exclusive interview with Cruise Business Review at Cruise Shipping Miami.

The technology allows lines to develop their own apps that can be loaded onto passengers’ smartphones, tablets and other devices before the cruise starts or once onboard. Then, they could gain access to the ship’s daily program, map, menus, folios and excursions, for example. Also, TV programming and on-demand movies available onboard in staterooms could be streamed to the devices instead. Passengers could use the app to stay in touch on the ship, allowing them to swap information and socialize.

MCP has had a relationship with cruise lines for more than a decade providing technology for cellphone service, but VAVE (value added voyage experience) is a leap forward and bridges a gap in how the modern traveler behaves on land but has not yet been able to when on a cruise vacation.

VAVE is a “business-enablement platform” for cruise lines “to enrich the experience and attract millennials to be able to use the tech that they were brought up on,” Sivertsen said.

The platform can be customized depending on each line’s strategy. Revenue opportunities exist in multiple forms, Sivertsen said. Cruise lines could charge passengers for accessing the service, but ideally the platform and any app a line develops on it would support existing revenue channels such as booking for specialty dining, massages, excursions and the like while also gathering information about the cruisers’ behavior so that targeted messages can be delivered. For example, if a specialty eatery has low bookings for a particular evening, a message could be sent out offering a discount rate. Or the ship could promote its onboard shopping.
Once the user has loaded the cruise line’s app onto a device, it can act as a way for the line to continue to deliver messages to the consumer – even when the cruise is over -- in a bid to build brand loyalty, Sivertsen said.

MCP also points to possible cost savings with VAVE. Printing expenses, for example, can be reduced for passengers who opt to receive their daily programs on their devices instead of delivered to their cabins.

Sivertsen said MCP has had a successful test of the VAVE system, which requires installation of a platform engine onboard, on the Mega Express Five, a 1,800-passenger Corsica Sardinia Ferry that runs eight- to 12-hour cruises between Nice, France, and Bastia, Corsica. Sivertsen said the pilot program was successful and a commercial contract with the company will be announced. Also, Sivertsen said MCP is in talks with a major cruise line that is interested in the VAVE service. He declined to name the line.