In North America, vacation season is almost upon us. Spring Break is around the corner, and the summer holidays are fast approaching as well. Many vacationers will be boarding cruise ships to relax by the ocean and enjoy warm weather. They may see a FieldCore employee boarding as well, but they’ll be heading to work: our crews support critical and challenging power requirements for cruise lines behind the scenes.
FieldCore’s aeroderivative gas turbine specialists support aero units in complex locations with a need for mobility, reliability, and flexibility. On cruise ships, these units at times support all power to the ship – literally keeping the lights on, the kitchens operating, and the wifi working. The service work to support cruise ship aero units often happens in hot, confined spaces, below the waterline of the ship… all while the ship is operational, moving across the ocean at 18-20 knots (20-23 miles per hour).
Given these circumstances, cruise ship work requires great planning, expertise, and creativity from a cross-functional FieldCore team. The challenge of supporting cruises begins before any crews hop on board. First, our resource and immigration teams work hand in hand to ensure the right crews are available and permitted appropriately to work in international ports. Our sourcing teams then manage complicated logistics to source and deliver parts and tools to the nearest port.
Once the crew is on board, their mission is to get the old engine off the ship and install the new engine safely and without any damage to the units or the ship… managing through critical lifts, tight spaces, narrow aisleways, and over 100* temperatures… not to mention time pressure to get in and out quickly. To pull this off successfully, the FieldCore teams work closely with the cruise line’s Chief Engineer and the onboard cruise ship personnel to plan and over plan the tasks involved, covering all scenarios and contingencies. Most importantly, they work to ensure the safety of all crews involved. Wayne Romeo, Aero Service Manager, says “it’s all pretty amazing to see, our teams do a heck of a job!
The next time you’re on a cruise or see a ship at port, think of the challenging work happening below deck, allowing guests to have a wonderful vacation – and you may spot a member of our FieldCore team cruising with you as well!
