KONE References 2017: Urban Journeys

normal buildings where elevators are installed once the elevator shaft is in place, cruise ships require coordination right from the beginning of the project. “A cruise ship is built using a system of blocks. A block can weigh more than a thousand tonnes and contain all the parts needed for a particular portion of the vessel. The shipyard then assembles hundreds of these blocks, almost like a big puzzle, into a complete ship,” explains Huguet. “This means we have to have the designs, the equipment and all materials ready right at the beginning so that we can install them as the assembly of the blocks progresses. Something we refer to as the plug-in method.” That is doubly true for a project as complex as the Harmony of the Seas, emphasizes Huguet, as he recalls a time when they had to redesign their plans completely. “The ship owners wanted to increase the height of the cabins by 15 centimeters. That may not seem like a big number, but we had to re-evaluate all our plans to make sure that all the requisite height clearances were in place, which meant going back to the drawing board,” says Huguet. “Since we were working closely with the shipyard from the beginning, this was not a problem and we managed to change our plans accordingly.” In fact, KONE’s ability to adapt to circumstances and the proactive way in which its team carried out its tasks led to the shipyard giving KONE an award. “THAT WAS THE FIRST TIME that the shipyard had ever given an award to a supplier,” recalls Huguet. “We received the award for long-term cooperation and one of the directors even talked about how he had never heard any complaints about KONE’s work. On fact, he even commended for anticipating every need the shipyard had.” That is only natural when you consider KONE’s decades of expertise and that fact that it has installed solutions for both Allure of the Seas and Oasis of the Seas, the two sister ships of the Harmony of the Seas. What’s more, KONE has also won the contract to outfit two forthcoming Oasis-class vessels, cementing its relationship with the RCCL. KONE has also installed advanced solutions to ease the flow of passenger traffic in cruise ships; with technologies like boarding mode and luggage mode, which can be activated to ensure that all elevators automatically go to the deck earmarked for this purpose. And if that wasn’t enough, all of KONE’s elevators come equipped with energy-saving technologies like KONE EcoDisc which have regenerative drives that transfer 90% of the elevator’s braking energy back into the network. Another factor that makes KONE the supplier of choice for the world’s biggest cruise operators is its extensive service network, says Huguet, and KONE has technicians located in major ports around the world, including North America, Europe and Asia. The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) estimates that a little over 24 million people travelled in cruise ships in 2016, and they are expecting this number to increase to over 25 million in 2017. KONE is certainly ready to help cruise ship operators handle these numbers. / A day in the life David Tracey is a service technician at KONE and has been with the company since 1999. He started working with KONE Marine services in 2012, an experience that has taken him on board a myriad of vessels and platforms. “We’re not on board 24/7 since there are so many vessels out there. Instead, we have a schedule of all the vessels on which we have to conduct maintenance. In between that schedule, if a vessel somewhere has a problemwith a unit, they’ll request assistance and we’ll go,” he says. So, what does a typical day at work look like? Tracey says most of his time is spent on doing manual inspections, maintenance, repair and modernization work on marine elevators. This can take up to a day or even a week to complete depending on the nature of the requirement. A process that he says is both challenging and rewarding. “You would have just finished one job and then you’ll get another call to go to another site,” emphasizes Tracey. “A year ago, I had to fly to Mexico and take a four-hour bus ride to catch up to a ship where a laundry elevator had broken down. I got on board in a relatively short time and repaired the unit. This made the customer very happy and that is what matters.” Tracey’s favorite part of the job is the fact that he gets to travel and meet new people. Something he credits solely to his job at KONE Marine services. “I think I’ve visited between 20 to 30 countries so far. While I mainly work in and around the US, I have also worked in Asia, South America, Europe – quite a lot of places. I don’t think I’d have ever been to Alaska if I had not taken up this job,” he says. “I’ve developed friendships with a lot of people working on these ships. It helps when you come back to work on the ship that you know these guys personally.” Marine elevator technicians, says Tracey, have the scope to do a lot of work and they do not get typecast into any one role. “In that sense, I got to forward my education and work skills, while getting to see the world at the same time. For me, that is a win-win,” he says happily. David Tracey, service technician, KONE “A cruise ship is built using a system of blocks, almost like a giant puzzle.” Harmony of the Seas 49