Safety guaranteed for all ocean voyages
Holland America Linecompany’s fleet of 15 ships annually offers more than 500 cruises to 415 ports of call in 98 countries, territories or dependencies. This demands a commitment to safety and sustainability, which led Holland America Line to retrofit the VDR system of its entire fleet with the INTERSCHALT VDR G4.
“Replayer”, VDR G4’s online monitor, provides a detailed picture of the ship’s position in real time on a chart and can transfer this playback to a notebook or a smartphone so that the captain can access an overview of the current situation at all times even from his cabin. Important information about radars, alarms, the positioning on the electronic chart, machine data from the conning display and helm data is available in real time.
Safety is a top priority for all cruise operators, and Steve Nevey, Nautical Superintendent, Technical Operations of Holland America Line, is no exception: “We have a great responsibility to safeguard the well-being of people and oceans we sail upon. Ongoing training and adherence to rigorous standards are vital to preserving and protecting our guests, our employees and the environment. It is essential to the successful conduct of our business.“
The Holland America Line project began in Q2/2012 and will be completed in Q2/2014 with a total of 15 ships being retrofitted. Steve Nevey, Nautical Superintendent, Technical Operations at Holland America Line, has been happy with the project’s progress to date:
“We wanted to get the INTERSCHALT VDRs onboard our ships as quickly as possible as we were impressed with the quality of the device and the quality and presentation of data. The automated processes contribute to improving safety and quality. Our ERC in Seattle now receives more standardized data for processing and receives it much more quickly. As a premium cruise operator, it is of paramount importance for us to be able to meet the highest safety standards.”
Steve Nevey adds: “We are very pleased with the project’s progress. As a premium cruise operator there are of course restrictions on our ships with regard to when and where technicians can go. As a result, we had to stick to a precise schedule as some work can only be carried out in a drydock. The quality of INTERSCHALT’s service has really impressed us. From the retrofit right up to the APTs, everything has been carried out on time and to a very high standard, even the dress code on the bridge where only the captain and his crew wear white.“
Source and Image Credit: Interschalt Maritime Systems
