THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE an industry celebration
THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE
THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE ISBN 978-1-9160325-5-2 Original title: The Ship Of The Future Text © P&O. All rights reserved. Published in 2023 by Tudor Rose www.tudor-rose.co.uk DISCLAIMER The designations employed and the presentation of material in this information product do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of Tudor Rose concerning the legal or development status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries. The mention of specific companies or products of manufacturers, whether or not these have been patented, does not imply that these have been endorsed or recommended by Tudor Rose in preference to others of a similar nature that are not mentioned. The views expressed in this information product are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or policies of the publisher.
THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Compiled by Sean Nicklin and Ben Cornwell Edited by Philippe Holthof, C&MORE BV. be.linkedin.com/in/philippe-holthof-b921639 Designed by Leigh Trowbridge Printed in the UK by Gomer Press Ltd With thanks to all the authors listed throughout the book for their support in compiling The Ship of the Future but especially to the following key partners to the publication: ABB Marine & Ports BaxterStorey Foshan Daxiang Marine Equipment Guangzhou Hongfan Technology Company Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) Huanan Building Materials (HBM) North Sea Offshore (NSO) OSK Design SCMET Winpos UK
P&O Pioneer reversing at 18 knots
THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE
CONTENTS An all-new way to cross the Channel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Pride of the P&O Ferries fleet . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4 Leading the way in ro-pax ferry design. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 SHIPBUILDING. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 The Ship of the Future. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Designing the future.............................25 Mega ship — largest double-ended ro-pax .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31 Towards a new sustainable transport era with ABB. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37 Foshan Daxiang marine anchors and more. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 High-end technologies benefiting passengers and crew. . . . . . . . . . . .47 Interior design — cross-Channel wow factor................. 51 Crafting ferry interiors into the future. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 China to the Channel — the delivery journey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 ONBOARD................................. 71 On the bridge of P&O Pioneer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .73 Pioneering diesel-battery propulsion on the Channel............. 77 High-quality solutions for ship interior outfitting. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81 Bars and restaurants — making the most of the 90-minute crossing...... 87 Cross-Channel entertainment and lounges. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .93 State-of-the art galley equipment for the Ship of the Future . . . . . . . . . 99 The hospitality to define travel experience. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 Shop till you drop through bags of retail space. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 109 P&O Ferries — a new horizon in maritime travel. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113 Royal reception for the kings of the road .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 LEGACY. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125 Remembering P&O’s rich history on the eve of a new era.......... 126 Sustainably better today. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130 Vision for the future. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
[ 2 ] THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE Our new, game-changing P&O Pioneer and P&O Liberté are the fruit of six years of extremely hard work across the board. The project started in-house from a clean sheet of paper but very early on we selected OSK Design as our consulting naval architects. With their out-of-the-box thinking and unrivalled experience in ro-pax ferry design, OSK Design quickly elevated the project to the next level, culminating in a diesel-battery hybrid doubleender design. Although our Spirit-class brought a quantum jump in terms of capacity and fuel efficiency when introduced in 2011/12, it was essentially an evolution of the Darwin-class, being based on proven technology. But, epitomising low-energy ferry design, the Fusion-class is nothing short of a paradigm shift in cross-Channel travel. Besides the double-ended hull, warranting a significantly lower energy consumption, it’s the scope of energy-saving technologies that set the Ship of the Future in a class of its own. We spared no effort to develop what are arguably the most fuel-efficient crossChannel ferries with the lowest possible emissions footprint per transported vehicle and passenger. Lessons were learned from the Spirit-class with, for example, wider and less steep fixed ramps that lead to the upper vehicle deck, the height of which was also increased to accommodate most types of cargo van and campervan. Acting as our eyes and ears, staff across all departments were consulted and had a big say in the new designs, as had our customers whom we always put first. P&O Ferries has been ahead of the pack in Channel ferry design for the past 60 years but with the Fusionclass we have raised the bar to a level which puts us head and shoulders above the competition. P&O Pioneer and P&O Liberté will undoubtedly consolidate our leading position on the Dover–Calais route. We share this route with two other ferry operators, but we are currently carrying about 47 per cent of the available freight volumes and about 50 per cent of the available tourist business. P&O Ferries has become a passionately ‘customer-first’ business and so we have maintained that focus on both our freight drivers and tourists. It is genuinely satisfying to see them happily coexist. I will never ever underestimate the significance of commercial drivers to our business, so making sure that “ P&O Ferries has become a passionately ‘customer-first’ business and so we have maintained that focus on both our freight drivers and tourists. It is genuinely satisfying to see them happily coexist” AN ALL-NEW WAY TO CROSS THE CHANNEL By Peter Hebblethwaite
[ 3 ] FOREWORD “ The interior facilities are first-class and the outdoor space is simply stunning. We have laboured over every detail to build two extraordinary ships that will be treasured by both us and our customers for many years to come” we give them superb facilities, great food and ensuring that they can get proper rest is really important to us. Ahead of the introduction of our new double-enders, we have rebuilt the customer experience to a much higher standard. Our food experience is better, our partnership with World Duty Free is better and we have improved our lounges, bars and children’s areas. Many of our onboard services staff serving the guests in the bars, restaurants and club lounges have a background in the cruise industry, so our friendliness is second to none. Overall, we offer a much better onboard experience but we continuously keep on improving and are poised to give everyone everything they need during the 90-minute crossing. Customer is king; it is therefore paramount that our passengers, including commercial drivers, can take time to enjoy the ship and rest before they head off for what could be a long drive on the other side. P&O Pioneer and P&O Liberté deliver all of this, with an unparalleled standard of service. The interior facilities are first-class and the outdoor space is simply stunning. We have laboured over every detail to build two extraordinary ships that will be treasured by both us and our customers for many years to come. Trade and tourism travel between Britain and Europe has been fundamental to the P&O name throughout its 176-year history. Our new ships represent the biggest investment in the history of P&O Ferries and it feels like they are the embodiment of our ambitions. They will serve on the busiest trade route in Europe and it is therefore appropriate that they are arriving now as we begin to realise some very large steps towards our vision for growth. The key to success on the Dover–Calais flagship service is efficiency, efficiency, and efficiency! This means that we need to provide an impressive port experience and then board passengers and freight as smoothly and efficiently as humanly possible. This we can do better than any other Doverbased ferry operator on the back of the double-ender design which is all about speeding up port turnarounds and reducing speed at sea without affecting the berthto-berth or motorway-to-motorway transit times. This gives us is the opportunity to cut 40 per cent of the running cost in addition to the corresponding volume of CO2 emissions. We have a responsibility to our customers, to the countries we serve and to each of the local communities. Environmental sustainability is starting to really influence both trade and tourism travel so we will be well-placed to win new business with our next-generation double-enders which are specifically designed to make P&O Ferries the most efficient and competitive operator in the market.
[ 4 ] THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE As a leading builder of highend ro-pax ferries, Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) is extremely proud to have successfully completed P&O Ferries’ next-generation P&O Pioneer and P&O Liberté — the world’s largest double-enders. T hanks to the double-ender design, a first on the English Channel, turning manoeuvres in the busy ports of Dover and Calais are something of the past. This saves considerable time, warranting a reduced service speed while still guaranteeing 90-minute berth-to-berth transit times. A lower speed positively impacts the energy consumption and emissions footprint, something further enhanced by the hybrid solution in the shape of an 8.8MWh capacity energy storage system, i.e. batteries, as well as a long list of energy-saving technologies that have been implemented. Actually, P&O Pioneer’s extensive sea trials confirmed that fuel consumption would meet all the most exacting targets. Besides environmental stewardship, the Fusion-class — as P&O Ferries has coined its Ship of the Future — also stands out in terms of comfort and style. The diesel-electric propulsion with ABB Azipods guarantees zero vibrations, while the relaxing shipboard environment with its modern, crisp design offers a welcome break for passengers travelling to and from the Continent. Ample outside deck space with fixed seating spread over two decks offers passengers stunning views of the passing scenery with Dover’s iconic white cliffs as a backdrop, an altogether different proposition to the fixed link below the sea. Besides the passengers, the crew too appreciate the low noise and zerovibration levels. They live onboard, being accommodated in all-outside cabins located between the forward and aft wheelhouse on Deck 10. P&O Ferries has gone to great lengths to drastically improve the working and living conditions onboard its Fusionclass. Obviously, the zero vibrations are part of this ambition as are height-adjustable navigation consoles and the comfortable “ We believe that we are true pioneers and a leading shipyard in the world in terms of this ship type. We are extremely proud of this achievement and are convinced that our customers will benefit from this strength” PRIDE OF THE P&O FERRIES FLEET By William Zhou Xuhui
[ 5 ] INTRODUCTION “ Unlike other ship types or even aircraft for that matter, ro-pax ferries mostly don’t come in long series with almost every platform representing a new prototype. For this reason, each project has its own learning curve” cabins that provide a home-away-fromhome feel. A happy crew makes a happy ship, so members of the crew can also unwind in their own gym, sauna and games room. Showing the way forward, the Ship of the Future boasts technologies not found on the long list of ro-pax ferries that we had built for international ferry operators during the past two decades. This made the project all the more interesting and challenging, yet the biggest challenges were perhaps the modifications still made during the construction stage. Thanks to our vast experience in building ro-pax ferries as well as our human resources — including 1,200 engineers and naval architects — we successfully managed to deal with all these bumps along the way. It really takes an experienced, well-oiled organisation to cope with these challenges and pitfalls. More so than the other complex ro-pax ferries that GSI has successfully completed in recent years, the Fusion-class has given us an edge over the competition. We believe that we are true pioneers and a leading shipyard in the world in terms of this ship type. We are extremely proud of this achievement and are convinced that our customers will benefit from this strength. Unlike other ship types or even aircraft for that matter, ro-pax ferries mostly don’t come in long series with almost every platform representing a new prototype. For this reason, each project has its own learning curve. Thanks to the experience gained continuously, we keep on improving ship design, stability and speed, etc. which is all to the benefit of our customers. With the two Fusion-class double-enders delivered, we have four more ro-pax ferries on order, with more to follow as negotiations with unspecified operators are ongoing. Even so, besides ro-pax ferries we build all types of vessel and currently have an orderbook of 60 ships, including 25 LNG-powered Pure Car and Truck Carriers (PCTCs). With an average annual output of 25 ships, our orderbook will keep us busy until 2026. As for the ro-pax segment, we believe its future is bright as new fuels and more stringent air pollution regulations will make older tonnage obsolete. Admittedly, this is a phenomenon that will also affect other ship types, but as passenger ships have many requirements that are unrelated to decarbonisation — think damage stability, Safe Return to Port (SRtP) regulations, low noise and vibration levels, better working and living conditions for the crew — we expect a healthy demand for new ro-pax tonnage. GSI is determined to remain ahead of the game, contributing to improve people’s lives and the crew’s working environment. For now, we wish P&O Ferries fair winds and following seas with its two new, fantastic Fusion-class sister ships.
[ 6 ] THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE LEADING THE WAY IN RO-PAX FERRY DESIGN Besides being the naval architects of P&O Ferries’ Ship of the Future and a long list of other new ro-pax ferries, OSK Design is also a renowned interior designer, offering a unique one-stop-shop, as evidenced by P&O Pioneer and P&O Liberté. Notwithstanding keeping close ties with Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI) through the SinoDane joint venture, OSK Design remains a fully independent naval and interior architecture consultancy as the management owns the company with offices in Copenhagen and Aarhus. We employ over 70 people and as a world-leading designer of ro-pax ferries we have been responsible for the design of many significant ro-pax ferries built in recent years. Our flat and agile organisation has proved to be a successful business model as we take pride in our in-depth understanding of our customers’ business model. We go with them all the way as we use our expertise to improve the design of the entire passenger flow, starting from the moment passengers arrive at the port of departure until they leave the port on the other side, heading for their destination. While freight remains the bread and butter for most ferry operators, the passenger peak season shouldn’t be underestimated. But the low season can be a long one and we believe that it’s essential to support the ferry operator in its tonnage strategy, optimising its fleet for both the off-peak and peak season, an approach that is also reflected in the Ship of the Future. With an output of 20 to 25 concept designs per year, we have a perfect understanding of the ferry business. Thanks to our experience, we are in a unique position to combine tonnage strategy with passenger experience, onboard revenue, energy optimisation, fuel strategy and a company’s operational profile. Combining all these important elements in a single organisation has proved to be the secret recipe to make a ferry futureproof. Our customers appreciate the independent advice in combination with the cultural “ The low season can be a long one and we believe that it’s essential to support the ferry operator in its tonnage strategy, optimising its fleet for both the off-peak and peak season, an approach that is also reflected in the Ship of the Future” By Anders Ørgård
[ 7 ] INTRODUCTION understanding from working internationally for more than half a century. Not surprisingly, we have a worldwide customer base, offering the full range all the way from a small 50m short-distance domestic ferry to a 250m ferry operating on a long-distance international route. Since the COVID-19 pandemic we have further developed our proprietary virtual reality tool. This allows us to bring designs alive at a very early stage and arrange meetings with our customers throughout the design process regardless of time zone and location. In parallel, we created OSK Design Lab. This is yet another uniqueness as it implements a design sprint philosophy which allows our naval architecture designers and our interior designers to cooperate at a very early stage of a project. Needless to say, this improves the overall quality of our concepts, also ensuring that visions are captured and implemented early on. The combination of OSK Virtual Reality and OSK Design Lab has significantly improved the efficiency of our design process on the one hand and strengthened our communication throughout the design process on the other. This saves valuable time and travel costs while also increasing the awareness and understanding of the design among all stakeholders. Passenger experience is key and should get priority. Gaining first-hand experience from customers is essential and we encourage ferry operators to perform customer satisfaction surveys focusing on the passenger experience. Today, almost everybody can design a steel structure and ancillary piping systems. At OSK Design, we make the difference through our holistic approach as we combine data and experience to achieve an optimised ferry design. The Ship of the Future is perhaps the best example of the OSK Design way of designing a ferry which also explains why the vessels are so successful from a business model perspective. It has been tremendously rewarding to work for an open-minded customer like P&O Ferries. We were on the same page from the first minute and jointly created what are arguably the most sustainable and successful ferries on the Dover–Calais route. Long may P&O Pioneer and P&O Liberté continue. “ It has been tremendously rewarding to work for an open-minded customer like P&O Ferries. We were on the same page from the first minute and jointly created what are arguably the most sustainable and successful ferries on the Dover–Calais route. Long may P&O Pioneer and P&O Liberté continue”
SHIPBUILDING
SHIPBUILDING Designing and building the most technically advanced ro-pax ferries in the world required an expert team and best-in-class suppliers. Now, with the delivery of its Fusion-class vessels, P&O Ferries proudly rolls out ships for the future THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE
[ 12 ] THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE With the introduction of P&O Pioneer and P&O Liberté, P&O Ferries has cemented its leading position on the Dover–Calais route for many years to come. This is the story of how this truly outstanding newbuilding project came about. Double-ender or single-ender? — that was the question. Although a doubleender design had already been on the table of Channel House, P&O Ferries’ Dover headquarters, in the early 2000s, the doubleender solution only emerged again when Denmark’s naval architecture consultancy, OSK Design, got involved in our Ship of the Future project. The 2017 edition of Nor-Shipping, a biennial international shipping exhibition and conference, marked the unofficial kickoff of what would eventually become the truly unique Ship of the Future project. Totto Hartmann from our brokers, Clarksons Platou, acted as the door opener to shipyards visiting and exhibiting at Nor-Shipping. “ With their impressive intake of 2,741 freight lanemetres plus 1,000 car lanemetres on a separate 3.3-metrehigh upper car deck, the Spirit-class represented a quantum jump compared with the ships they replaced” THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE By Ross Barrett
[ 13 ] Nor-Shipping is where the entire chain of the maritime equipment industry meets, so attending the event also provided a perfect picture of what latest technologies were available on the market. After all, more than ten years had passed since we pushed the button on our Spirit-class project. Ordered in August 2008, the Spirit-class — just like our Fusion-class ships of the future — started from a clean sheet of paper, being designed from the bottom up, taking in the latest trends in both shipboard and shore-based interior design. With their impressive intake of 2,741 freight lanemetres plus 1,000 car lanemetres on a separate 3.3-metre-high upper car deck, the Spirit-class represented a quantum jump compared with the ships they replaced, the 1987-built Chunnel beaters Pride of Dover and Pride of Calais. Their ability to easily manage freight at peak times was, and still is, one of the Spirit-class’s uniqueness. Rather than building an improved, ‘lessons learned’ Mk II version of the Spirit-class we decided to start from scratch again. The Spirits were an evolution of the Darwin-class with an optimised hullform, way better fuel economy and larger payload. At the time of their conception, alternative fuels and especially hybrid technology were still in their infancy or nonexistent, at least on ro-pax ferries the scale of the Spirits. So, the Spirits came with a conventional propulsion plant of four AHEAD OF THE PACK P&O Ferries has always been at the forefront of innovation, pioneering the first drive-through and double-decker ro-pax ferries on the Channel in the mid-1960s and late 1970s, respectively. The first-generation Spirit-class, delivered in 1979–80, was well ahead of its time, leaving the competition far behind. In the absence of a fixed link and the climate change debate, speed was a unique selling proposition with the technically advanced Spiritclass guaranteeing 75-minute berth-to-berth crossing times. Such was their success that an improved, larger version of the Spirit trio was developed and introduced on the Dover–Calais route in 1987. Dubbed the Chunnel beaters, Pride of Dover and Pride of Calais were the first genuine jumbo ferries on the Dover–Calais route, being true gamechangers. The 1994 opening of the Channel Tunnel initially created overcapacity, resulting in a price war and P&O Ferries briefly joining forces with one of its rivals which eventually withdrew from the Channel arena. Rather than building anew, two of P&O Ferries’ so-called super freighters were converted to fully fledged ro-pax ferries in 2003. Coined the Darwin project, this was a code name given to underline the ‘evolution’ from super-freighter to ro-pax ferry. The Darwins represented a kind of stopgap solution until the arrival of a second-generation Spirit-class in 2011–12. Spirit of Britain and Spirit of France represented yet another big step forward on account of their ability to efficiently manage freight, also boasting a separate dedicated car deck. With the arrival of the state-of-the-art P&O Pioneer and P&O Liberté, P&O Ferries is entering a whole new era. Pioneering the double-ender concept on the Channel, the diesel-battery hybrid ships stand out in many ways, not least because of being the world’s most innovative and greenest ferries. SHIPBUILDING
[ 14 ] THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE main engines driving twin controllable pitch propellers and four auxiliaries generating the electrical power, providing the hotel load. To enhance manoeuvrability, the Spirits boasted three bow thrusters with a total output of 9MW and high-lift Becker Marine rudders, located in-line with the twin shafts. TACKLING THE CLIMATE CRISIS Fast forward to 2017 and climate change was topping the agenda in the wake of the COP 21 United Nations Climate Change Conference, held in Paris in late 2015. Earlier, the International Maritime Organization (IMO), had already set limits on NOx and SOx emissions from ship exhausts. Quite early on in the project, our ambition was to build a best-in-class Channel ferry with the lowest possible emissions footprint. Shortly after our spring 2017 visit to Nor-Shipping, we invited renowned naval architects to tender for a concept design to go out to shipyards. Besides Deltamarin, the naval architects of the Spirit-class, Denmark’s Knud E. Hansen and OSK Design as well as the UK’s Houlder were interviewed. We kept scoresheets with series of questions, scoring each answer. Each naval architecture consultancy was asked the same questions, yet OSK Design came out head and shoulders above the rest on account of their forward-thinking and methods of operating. A good example was the modular concept of the public spaces, making it possible to change spaces easily by using raised floors and moveable bulkheads. This modular concept was high on our list and was exactly what OSK Design proposed. The project developed organically with all the do’s and don’ts as well as the pros and cons of a single-ender versus a double-ender design carefully analysed. SINGLE- OR DOUBLE-ENDER? Back in 2017 we were not set on any particular design principles even when speaking to the naval architects, although we had clearly defined our commercial imperatives. These were maximising our share of a growing freight market and discouraging new entrants, taking a quantum leap forward in reducing our costs per transported unit, overtaking the advantage of our competitors on the Dover– Calais route, differentiating our customer offer from those of other ferry operators in Europe and closing the gap on Eurotunnel’s speed advantage by benchmarking the duration from motorway to motorway rather than berth to “ Each naval architecture consultancy got the same questions, yet OSK Design came out head and shoulders above the rest on account of their forward-thinking and how they operated” Nexus of inspiration and engagement with the build, the Ship of the Future’s dedicated think-tank team room at P&O Ferries’ Dover headquarters
[ 15 ] berth. It wasn’t until early 2018 that a doubleender design came out as the obvious choice. The initial concept called for a double-ender with a single central bridge rather than two bridges, i.e. one on either end. Doubleenders are very popular on short routes, for instance in the Norwegian fjords, and the smaller iterations typically boast a single central bridge. This solution was deemed impractical for ships the length of the Fusionclass, offering poor sightlines to the bows. Thanks to the double-ender principle, making 180-degree turns in port would become something of the past. On the Dover–Calais route, the single-ender ferries typically berth stern-to at Dover and bow-in at Calais. Westbound, this requires two 180-degree manoeuvres; reversing out of the berth in Calais and then reversing into a berth in Dover. These manoeuvres are time-consuming as well as causing an obstruction to incoming and outgoing traffic. For the Spirit-class pair, the off-berth manoeuvring time relative to Calais–Dover crossings adds about 15 minutes to the overall berth-to-berth crossing times. To compensate for the lost time, ferries need to increase their speed considerably to adhere to the advertised 90-minute berth-to-berth crossing times. Our ships make three double runs during the day and another two during the night. The daytime schedule typically spans 13.5 hours, equivalent to 810 minutes. Benchmarking against a single-ender, the double-ender solution clearly demonstrated that fuel savings were significant. Based on 40-minute turnarounds, a single-ender needed to increase its speed to 19.1 knots for a good part of the crossing as opposed to a 15.6-knot maximum speed for a doubleended ferry. When simulating a 12-hour daytime schedule, reducing port times to 30 minutes, the speed of a single-ender increases to 21.5 knots while the maximum speed for a double-ender doesn’t exceed 17.1 knots. PRIDE OF DOVER PRIDE OF CANTERBURY SPIRIT OF BRITAIN P&O PIONEER Ship class Chunnel Beater Darwin-class Spirit-class Fusion-class Year of build 1987 1991/2003 2011 2023 Length o.a. 169.6m 179.7m 212.9m 230.5m Beam 27.8m 27.8m 30.8m 30.8m Draft 6.1m 6.0m 6.7m 6.7m Gross tonnage 26,433 30,635 47,592 47,653 tDW 4,261t 5,102t 9,188t 9,988.9t Passengers 2,300 2,000 2,000 1,437 Freight lane m. 1,545m 1,925m 2,741m 2,592m Car lane m. Deck 7 N/A N/A 1,000m 1,066m Service speed 22 knots 21 knots 22 knots 17.6 knots Fuel consumption 16k tonnes/year 17.5k tonnes/year 23k tonnes/year 14k tonnes/year Four generations of Dover–Calais ferries “ The initial concept called for a doubleender with a single central bridge rather than two bridges, i.e. one on either end” SHIPBUILDING Pride of Canterbury Pride of Dover Spirit of Britain P&O Pioneer
[ 16 ] THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE Every minute counted in our quest to reduce emissions and therefore we also simulated the implementation of an automated mooring system. Today, ferries calling at both Dover and Calais still use traditional mooring ropes with rope men also operating the ports’ linkspans. This makes mooring and unmooring an unnecessarily time-consuming affair. In other parts of Europe, notably in Scandinavia, automooring has become the norm — controlled directly from the ship’s bridge, mooring and unmooring is reduced to just a matter of seconds. The same goes for automated linkspans that are operated from the ship rather than from the shore, yet another practice that is commonplace on many traffic-intensive shuttle-type ferry services in Scandinavia. When deployed and used effectively, an automated mooring and linkspan system shaves 25 minutes off the port turnaround times per roundtrip. This is equal to a 75-minute time saving for three roundtrips and 125 minutes for five roundtrips. More important still is the fuelsaving and, consequently, the emissions reduction which an automooring system warrants. Unfortunately, neither the Port of Dover nor the Port of Calais have automooring systems in place yet. Needless to say that we are very much in favour of automated mooring and linkspans as it would further optimise our operations for the benefit of climate resilience. BEST PRACTICES In early 2019, we sent out our preliminary outline specifications, a 39-page document, to over 20 shipyards. This process was followed by writing a proper tender specification, a much larger document of roughly 300 pages. This was written together with OSK Design, but our own staff also provided a great deal of input. A few key persons in our organisation had been heavily involved in building the Spirit-class but designing a next-generation ferry from a blank canvas was a once-in-a-lifetime experience for most of them. The newbuilding team, comprising staff from across the board including senior deck, engine and onboard services (OBS) officers, shared their vast experience with the sole aim of building a best-in-class vessel. The newbuilding team reached out to the fleet, asking them what was good, what was bad and what could be improved. This was something unprecedented in our organisation. Even when developing the Spirit-class, the input from all departments and end-users was something unique. For the Fusion-class we further raised the bar, bringing the ‘designed by you, built for you’ principle to the next level. Examples abound, but let’s share just a few of them. We had a deck officer who had to stand on a wooden box to see the navigation screens, including radar and electronic charts. As she was regularly swapping ships, she carried the wooden box with her all the time. On the Fusion-class we have introduced an industry first, notably height-adjustable navigation consoles, reminiscent of heightadjustable desks. Another example concerns access, deck height and the lighting of the dedicated upper car deck. First introduced on the Spirit-class, the fixed access ramps were too narrow and too steep, slowing down loading operations. On the Fusion-class we’ve made the ramps much wider, shallower and longer, further speeding up loading operations. We also increased the height of the upper car deck from 3.3m to 3.6m, allowing for motor homes and vans with luggage racks to be stowed on the upper deck, further freeing up space on the two freight decks. Our passengers also thought that it was too dark on the car deck, so we’ve doubled the lighting, but only during loading and unloading operations. “ When developing the Spirit-class, the input from all departments and the end-users was already something unique. For the Fusionclass we further raised the bar, bringing the ‘designed by you, built for you’ principle to the next level”
[ 17 ] We also spent a lot of time looking at the future and how things were going to change, making sure that the new ships would move the P&O Ferries story forward, being fit for purpose for the next thirty years and beyond. As befits a newbuilding project, we gained first-hand experience from other ferry operators, notably those across the Fehmarn Belt and the Sound. Both services gave us better insights into double-ender ferry operations. When it came to the quality of finishing, we had handpicked Tallink’s Megastar as our reference ship. Completed by Finland’s Meyer Turku shipyard in early 2017, Megastar operated the Tallink Shuttle service between Tallinn and Helsinki. The ship’s Finnish interior architect, dSign Vertti Kivi & Co, also provided a draft interior design. BUILDING IN CHINA The long list of shipyards that received our preliminary outline specifications soon became a much shorter one after several of the shipyards said that they physically couldn’t build a 230.5-metre-long ship, while others, especially eminent European yards, had full cruise ship orderbooks and weren’t interested in building ferries. In mid-2019, we were ready for our final call for tenders, primarily setting our mind on renowned European and South Korean ferry builders for the very reason that these were the yards bidding to build our Spirits. We had long negotiations with Flensburger Schiffbau-Gesellschaft and Remontowa Shipbuilding as both yards had built double-ended ferries for Canada’s BC Ferries. While the double-enders built at the former yard were then the world’s largest of their kind, those built at the latter Polish yard were way smaller, which was one of the reasons why negotiations with Remontowa Shipyard didn’t lead to an order. Chinese yards were initially not in the mix, but our eversupportive owner, DP World, recommended to take China into consideration. We spoke to the big builders of ro-ro and ferry tonnage in China, primarily focusing on Jinling Nanjing and Guangzhou Shipyard International (GSI). We briefly considered CMI Jinling Weihai Shipyard but were pretty sure that they had already reserved slots for another ferry operator building a series of ropax ferries there. In between, there were also talks with Xiamen Shipbuilding Industry and it wasn’t until Jinling Nanjing fell out that GSI stepped in again. In Europe, Damen was still high on our list. They too had built doubleenders for BC Ferries and, in May 2019, had landed an order for LNG-battery hybrid ro-ro ferries for Canada’s Seaspan. The Dutch shipyard group were to build our ships at their newly acquired Mangalia site in Romania, but due to the poor conditions of the yard facilities, Damen couldn’t guarantee a 2023 delivery. Both Damen and GSI were thrown in and out at various stages but were eventually the last ones on our list. We put pen to paper in September 2019 with GSI winning the GBP 220 million double-order. GSI had an excellent track record and back in 2003 they were the first Chinese yard to build ro-pax ferries for a European shipowner. Many shipyards try to cut corners, offering a cheaper alternative to what a shipowner proposes. Not so with GSI as we managed to impose our will. We also had our final say for the choice of big equipment. So, we really felt that our money was best spent with them. You can read more about the Fusion-class, its builders, naval architects, interior designers and all key suppliers and partners on the next pages of this commemorative book. We hope you’ll enjoy the read. “ The long list of shipyards that received our preliminary outline specifications soon became a much shorter one after several of the shipyards said they physically couldn’t build a 230.5-metrelong ship while other shipyards, especially the renowned European ones, had full cruise ship orderbooks and weren’t interested in building ferries” SHIPBUILDING
[ 18 ] THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE Every shipbuilding project is a complex undertaking, never going exactly to plan even with the most diligent preparation. And so the strength of the individual skillsets and personalities must be impeccable, each enabling high performance while contributing to a collaborative and cooperative team dynamic. People with these attributes, together with a keen commercial acumen, and who are capable of thinking outside the box at any time of day or night are rare, and therefore hard to find. Issues have to be resolved as soon as they arise, so it’s often a 24 hours per day, seven days per week job. This profession is reserved for sturdy characters and I was fortunate to have eight of them alongside me for this journey. SARA CLAMP — Head of Operational Transition Working closely with OSK Design, Sara has been responsible for the ship’s interior spaces — setting briefs, approving the mood boards, working through the design files, tweaking colour schemes and approving layouts, products and materials. She came to us with a wealth of design execution experience across different sectors, importantly with a flawless track record for delivering to a high standard, on time. Sara is warm and engaging, yet focused and firm. She is able to quickly visualise drawings and specifications and can instantly spot potential flaws and find workable solutions. She has an uncanny eye for detail and is resolute in her pursuit of perfection. Sara spent countless hours travelling around factories in China inspecting every product specified and was able to improve product designs or construction methods whenever her exacting standards were at risk. She has sat on every different chair type onboard the ships, rejecting any that didn’t have the required foam density to guarantee passenger comfort, or that showed any other flaw that she identified. The appeal, quality and inevitable longevity of our interior product choices is her victory. It is a great credit to her that she achieved so much while retaining the respect and friendship of our suppliers. The Ship of the Future team by Ross Barrett “ Sara spent countless hours travelling around factories in China inspecting every product specified and was able to improve product designs or construction methods whenever her exacting standards were at risk” Recruiting a first-class team is key to every newbuilding project as, both individually and collectively, they provide the magic for a winning formula. I’m very happy to report that the Ship of the Future team was blessed with the requisite experience, knowledge, energy and passion to deliver two record-breaking ships.
[ 19 ] Every intensely focused team needs help stepping away from the job and Sara gave us that break. She is good at taking time out to recharge but importantly she reminded us all to follow her lead, ensuring that we returned refreshed and ready to embrace new challenges. Our karaoke capabilities are now more practiced (though no more tuneful) thanks to Sara’s efforts to ensure that we moved on from our failures as readily as we celebrated our successes. SIMON MOORE — Captain Simon has been responsible for nautical project planning and development, with a specific focus on the bridge arrangement and related operational processes and practices. For Simon, as with the rest of the team, safety is paramount and there is no place for shortcuts that might compromise operational excellence. He has analysed every bridgerelated frustration that he’s ever encountered and worked through a series of improvements to deliver a finished bridge that comprises the best equipment organised into the most effective arrangement. Naturally, Simon is cool, calm and collected — equally effective under pressure as he is in normal working conditions. While we were on sea trials one of the crew had a serious diabetic condition and, while others fretted about what to do, Simon calmly took control and made the right choices to ensure a happy ending to an otherwise frightening experience. See pages 64 to 67 for more about Simon and his role in the project. BEVERLEY PARFITT — Programme Management Office Manager Beverley is responsible for programme reporting, scheduling and finances. She is one of the most willing and accomplished managers and doers that I’ve ever encountered, happily taking on tasks that fall outside her remit with skill and good grace. Beverley has managed contractual assignments, found cost savings and picked up every neglected job that she could in order to help the team and keep the project moving forwards. Much of our success will be credited to Beverley’s steely determination, flawless organisation and imperious resourcefulness. Beverley embodies the very essence of a can-do spirit. No task is too big or too small, she’s unflappable and has no limits to her capabilities. Beverley is the glue that binds the team together, motivating us to perform beyond our normal limits while also “ Beverley is the glue that binds the team together, motivating us to perform beyond our normal limits while also delivering her own work on time, every time, and to the highest conceivable standard” Above, pictured anti-clockwise from front right: Captain Simon Moore, Pietro Pezzarini, Martin Bond, Gareth Thomas, Vince Todd, Ross Barrett (at the back), Mel Shorter, Sara Clamp, Andrew Kerswell, Captain Alex Wroe, Colin Simpson, Tom Flitch SHIPBUILDING
[ 20 ] THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE delivering her own work on time, every time, and to the highest conceivable standard. Beverley has all of the finest human qualities; integrity, honesty, compassion, fairness and generosity. And she has a sharp wit, expertly kept in readiness to diffuse a difficult encounter or lift team spirits. Of course, when she has to be firm and demanding she is, but with a manner that prompts a positive response. She’s pretty incredible. I am particularly skilled at losing things when I travel — a phone, a suitcase, anything that’s not tied to me. Beverley quickly managed this character flaw by secretly giving my travelling companions a list of things that I needed to keep hold of — a tactic that saved me more than once. STEPHEN PARKHOUSE — Electrical Systems Officer Steve is a talented, methodical and experienced electrical engineer — a natural problem solver with a calm mind. Electricity provides the two ships with their heartbeat and so it’s fair to say that he gave them life. Steve is responsible for ensuring that all of the electrical systems and integration throughout both ships have been designed, installed and operate effectively. He has overseen the entire planning, system drawings and safety aspects and is responsible for making sure that everything that needs electrical power has it, through the right cables, connectors, breakers and controls. You can always rely on Steve for a level headed and thoughtful contribution to every team interaction. He never said no and always embraced every challenge with an analytical mind and a keen eye for detail. Steve likes to get the job done on time, but will never sacrifice safety or quality. He’s not the loudest member of the team and will happily let others lead meetings, but when he talks, everyone listens. And whenever I, or anyone in the team, have needed a really solid opinion, Steve has always been a reliable source of good sense. Importantly for team morale, Steve has been a source of good humour. When the team “ When he talks, everyone listens. And whenever I, or anyone in the team, have needed a really solid opinion, Steve is a reliable source of good sense”
[ 21 ] was quarantined for three weeks in a Chinese hotel, Steve was the first to lighten the mood with amusing tales about the particular challenges of basic living needs. He shared jokes, stories and photographs among the team that kept spirits high when they may otherwise have hit the floor. Such levity is an effective antidote to the pressure of the job and the situations it entails. STEVE PITT — Head of Procurement Steve played a pivotal role in the project with complete ownership of procurement and our supplier relationships. He was responsible for getting the best possible financial deal available without compromising quality or accepting burdensome conditions. Procurement became a particularly challenging role during the pandemic as logistics systems frayed and often broke down completely. And yet Steve remained calm and composed, maximised the supplier packages we purchased and frequently added surprisingly good owner benefits, through bonus equipment, training, spares or terms. Importantly, Steve isn’t a procurement professional who sits in his office waiting for things to happen. He got up and out to meet suppliers in person to build strong relationships that yielded benefits throughout the building project. The strength of his supplier relationships delivered time and again for us. Whenever we encountered an issue or otherwise needed a quick response from a supplier, Steve’s personable approach guaranteed a speedy resolution. He has a youthful energy backed by an abundance of enthusiasm that served both him and the team well throughout this demanding project. Steve was the self-appointed ganbei (dry cup) champion during our visits to China. With only one, somewhat unlikely, defeat officially recorded, his successes are otherwise fondly remembered by the team. “ The strength of his supplier relationships delivered time and again for us. Whenever we encountered an issue or otherwise needed a quick response from a supplier, Steve’s personable approach guaranteed a speedy resolution” SHIPBUILDING
[ 22 ] THE SHIP OF THE FUTURE MEL SHORTER — Onboard Services Manager Mel was seconded from the fleet in 2022 because of her knowledge, experience and consistently outstanding performance. She has been responsible for planning and buying the owner’s supply for the passenger and crew spaces onboard, ordering tens of thousands of products and managing a multimillion pound budget. The owner’s supply list comprises everything that’s going to be used onboard, from cleaning equipment and galley essentials to safety management notices and food hygiene protocols. This is a critical role in the run-up to delivery, as forgotten items impact crew efficiency and passenger enjoyment or can risk regulatory compliance. Having come from a senior fleet role, Mel is acutely aware of every onboard requirement, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant — getting everything to the place where it’s intuitively expected to be found. Mel is a real people-person, she knows what she wants and how best to get it. And she is very clear in what she asks for, removing any reason for error through misunderstanding. It has to be this way, because we give the team responsibility to make their own decisions without burdensome oversight. Mel’s considerable organisational and negotiation skills have served her well in the position and she has managed a big role efficiently and with a reassuring confidence. Mel doesn’t go anywhere without a plentiful supply of candles. It’s a bizarre yet endearing trait. I’ve never thought enough about whether they’re a yoga tool or an effective relaxation aid, but it makes buying a gift for Mel particularly easy. GARETH THOMAS — Chief Officer Gareth joined the team from the fleet with ten years of P&O Ferries experience and has just completed his UK Class II/1 Officer of the Watch certification, with distinction. Gareth’s role was to manage the delivery of all of the deck and technical documentation required for the ship to sail. He also took responsibility for the safety and security management and planned maintenance systems. There is a staggering volume of documents, logbooks, charts and other information required onboard a ship that must be meticulously curated and filed. Gareth has also documented and managed our postdelivery defect resolution activities. Gareth brings together an uncommon mix of skills. He is bright, organised and thorough — necessary attributes in managing and understanding a small mountain of important and often technical documents. And he is also engaging, articulate and demanding, important skills for working with our shipyard, classification society and flag state in preparing and delivering the required regulatory processes and documentation. But above everything else, Gareth is fastidious about safety, which is a prized asset for every newbuilding team. With such an eye for detail, it’s perhaps not surprising that Gareth regularly gave the team important or otherwise useful reminders, such as the gentle nudge he gave me to ensure that I packed mosquito repellent for a yard visit during a balmy week. “ Mel is acutely aware of every onboard requirement, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant — getting everything to the place where it’s intuitively expected to be found” “ Above everything else, Gareth is fastidious about safety, which is a prized asset for every newbuilding team”
[ 23 ] VINCE TODD — Technical Engineering Manager Inevitably, advanced ships are technically complex. Thankfully, Vince is an immensely capable technical engineer and he also possesses the fleet knowledge and experience that has frequently proven to be vital to our success. From the outset of the build, most, if not all, of the technical design, systems and integration throughout the ships have benefited from Vince’s wisdom. He has made choices with operational needs front of mind, causing chief engineers to remark on his originality and good sense – perhaps the greatest tribute a technical engineer can receive. Vince is the proud father of these ships, he was there when they were conceived, he was there when they were born and he will enjoy watching them grow up. Vince is our walking, talking encyclopaedia. He can recite any technical detail in an instant and he can explain the purpose and positioning of every valve, pipe and other fittings without reference to anything other than his sharp mind. If quizzed, he can articulate the relative merits of every choice he’s made, and always gets the same acquiescent nod in reply. Vince has managed our key relationships with Guangzhou Shipyard International and Det Norske Veritas and both have the greatest respect for his professional capability as well as a sincere appreciation for his engaging personality. I’ve taken some bizarre ideas to Vince for his input — some that he’s agreed with and others that he just laughed at. But generally, I’ve learned to never expect a simple answer from him. Like a stereotypical engineer, everything that he does and says is thoroughly considered and rigorously answered... at length. It’s always the right answer, you just have to wait to get it. Our team has been artfully supported by our inhouse finance and legal teams and we have also benefited from the expertise of three particularly proficient information technology experts. James Axson, who joined us towards the end of the project, quickly adapted to our work ethic and team spirit and has been a great asset to the project. And both Aarti Bajaj and Lisa Davidson made invaluable contributions to the success of the IT planning and delivery during the time that they were with us. The Ship of the Future project has been a truly successful and rewarding team endeavour, a welcome reminder that you can achieve anything through collaboration, cooperation and, when it’s needed, good humour. “ Vince has managed our key relationships with Guangzhou Shipyard International and Det Norske Veritas and both have the greatest respect for his professional capability as well as a sincere appreciation for his engaging personality” SHIPBUILDING
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