KONE References 2017: Urban Journeys

hink of a cruise ship and what comes to mind is a city, and the Harmony of the Seas, the newest addition to the Oasis Class fleet of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. certainly fits the bill. Displacing nearly 227,000 gross tons, she is the largest passenger ship in the world, able to accommodate over 8880 passengers and crew. The vessel contains over 2,700 rooms spread out over multiple decks and contains facilities like water slides, surf simulators, rock climbing walls and even a miniature golf course. A veritable floating city indeed. But unlike a city which has various modes of transport to help people get around, cruise ships are almost totally dependent on vertical transport solutions like elevators and escalators to get around. And not just any elevator either, as these massive vessels require specialized marine elevators to function properly. “They need to be rugged enough to withstand the constant motion of being at sea, while also being able to minimize vibrations and ensure that passengers don’t get nauseous,” says Nicolas Huguet , project manager at KONE Marine. “On top of that, they need to be compact since the space on cruise ships is very limited, unlike in buildings. Cruise ship operators need to maximize the space available for cabins and other attractions.” KONE has developed several solutions that can help with this, including the KONE MonoSpace™ elevators, an innovative technology that eliminates the need for a machine room, allowing Cruise Ship operators to use this space for other purposes. These specially designed marine elevators take into account factors such as the ship’s movement in the water, its pitch and roll, to ensure that rider comfort is looked after. HOWEVER, HAVING THE PERFECT product for a cruise ship is just one part of the challenge. The biggest challenge, emphasizes Huguet, is to keep up with the pace of construction. Unlike T 48