By
Rebecca Lambert |
A full order book ensured that 2013 was a busy and successful year for Blohm + Voss Repair. The German ship repair specialist carried out work on several vessels for leading cruise lines, proving its ability to deliver demanding projects on schedule and to a high standard. A substantial ship modification project towards the end of last year has also inspired the company to build up its interiors expertise to put itself in the best possible position to continue to meet its clients’ needs.
“In the first half of 2013 we carried out repair work for Carnival Cruise Lines, Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises,” says Pilaar. “Towards the end of the year we worked on vessels for AIDA Cruises and TUI Cruises. We’re proud that the major cruise lines rely on us to serve them. They have to trust in our ability to deliver on time, and our many years of experience puts us in a good position to do just that. We know their ships well and we understand what it takes to meet their specific needs.”
It’s this dedication to go above and beyond to meet clients’ expectations that sets Blohm + Voss apart from the competition, explains Pilaar. “First and foremost we are a service provider, so we do our utmost to understand our customers’ needs,” he says. “We work hard to build strong relationships with the cruise lines we serve and as these relationships develop, we also find that there is more scope for us to suggest different ideas and find better ways of working together for mutual benefit. For example, we may be able to take certain steps to work more efficiently or reduce costs in certain areas. It’s all about working together in partnership.”
Pilaar also notes that sticking to deadlines is key; the company has built up a strong reputation in the industry based on its ability to deliver projects on time. “Staying on schedule is all about good planning and management. The rest is communication. Teams need to inform each other of what’s going on and discuss what needs to be prioritised to get the job done. We also ensure that all time-critical work is managed and carried out by us. This way we know exactly what’s going on and we can ensure we stay on or ahead of schedule.”
Looking back at the past year, Pilaar is proud of what the company has achieved. “It was a busy year and all the cruise ships we worked on were delivered on time and on budget. I am also extremely proud of the fact that we excelled in the field of health and safety. We clocked up over a million man-hours in the shipyard without any lost time incidents – not many yards achieve this.”
This article appeared in the Spring/Summer 2014 edition of International Cruise & Ferry Review. To read other articles, you can subscribe to the magazine in printed or digital formats.