By
Rebecca Gibson |
This article was first published in the Autumn/Winter 2017 issue of International Cruise & Ferry Review. All information was correct at the time of printing, but may since have changed.
FMT is building two new flexible, custom-designed passenger boarding bridges at its facilities for delivery in January 2018. The boarding bridges will be installed at Terminal 18 at Port Everglades in Florida, US, mainly to serve Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas.
Both of the state-of-the-art Mobile Elevating Passenger Bridge Systems have been designed to incorporate some of the most innovative technology available in today’s market, which will enable them to serve the largest cruise ships in the world.
FMT’s passenger boarding bridges will have several key features to make them safe and efficient to operate. They will have a generous servicing envelope with 550 feet of horizontal connection to the ship, and the ability to elevate up to 54 feet above sea level. This means that the bridges can be easily moved to fit with the various heights and horizontal locations of cruise ship doors and port terminal entrances. Depending on the ship´s height, FMT's boarding bridges can also be used to create a shortcut to the shore, reducing the number of tunnels passengers must walk through. The boarding bridges also have a newly designed transition ramp, to further enhance the passenger experience when entering the ship.
In addition, the bridges will be operated using programmable logic controller equipment so they will automatically follow the ship as it moves due to wind, tidal and wave fluctuations. They will have two independent power sources for operational, and they will be connected to the port’s data network through modems for remote online maintenance.
FMT has previously built and installed 15 passenger boarding bridges for cruise ships at Port Everglades, increasing to 17 when the two new bridges are operational reliability in early 2018.
FMT has more than 40 years of experience in the seaport market and serves all major cruise lines, including Royal Caribbean International, Carnival Cruise Line, Norwegian Cruise Line, Princess Cruises and MSC Cruises.