Page 30: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (March 2019)

CRUISE SHIPPING • THE MARKET REPORT

MARINER SKILLS

ASSESSMENT: ‘THERE’S AN APP

FOR THAT!’

Carnival Corporation part- nered with Marine Learning

Systems to develop an App for mariner skills assessment.

Dubbed SkillGrader, the App was designed to help standard- ize Carnival Corporation’s training and assessment across the company’s ? eet of 105

Costa Venezia, which ships and 9 brands, according debuted in March and is des- to John Allen, Carnival Corpo- tined for the Chinese market.

Photo Courtesy Costa Cruises.

ration’s Director of Maritime

Professional Development.

Carnival Corp. designed a performance-related training approach where crew were

Cruising to China

Costa Cruise’s newbuild Costa Vene- largest cruise lines are expanding in Merchant Heavy Industries in Haimen, zia will be positioning from the Mediter- Asia, and there is a need for cruise China. China Merchants was very sup- ranean out to the Far East, beginning ship building, ship repair and refurbish- portive, doing all that they could to

Photo: MLS in early March with onboard activities ment in China.” Reyes is a partner with make the project happen,” said Reyes. including a Venetian “Carnival” cel- Tomas Tillberg in one of the world’s Tillberg & Reyes Group Co., Ltd. were to be placed within targeted ebration as the vessel “…follows the foremost design houses serving the the brokers for the project, and it also training programs based on path of Marco Polo…” eastward, albeit global cruise market, but the organiza- helped in developing the ? nancial their assessment results, rather through the Suez Canal. From mid-May, tion’s endeavors span far beyond de- structure. “The owner is a very experi- the ship will be homeported in Shang- sign, as it operates a subsidiary based enced owner in the expedition vessel than assuming no prior knowl- hai. The buying power of the Chinese in Shanghai, China, which is can help segment, so they knew exactly what edge and enrolling crew into burgeoning middle class is well known. guide cruise vessel owners from start they wanted. We needed to have en- every course. This required

Cruise travel is complementing their to ? nish, with insight and experience gineering from Europe which relates to consumption of automobiles and previ- in tapping the emerging Chinese mari- the engineering relative to a passenger developing a new technical ously out of reach luxuries. Initially, the time ? nance market to hands-on con- vessel,” something they do not have at system that could support rapidly expanding market is already be- tact and full project management with a Chinese shipyard … yet, said Reyes.

consistent assessment of any ing served by European built vessels the yard to ensure that the hotel opera- The shipyards in China will soon be (such as Costa Venezia, Quantum of tions and interior out? t are completed building larger vessels, with the sup- of? cer, while on-board any the Seas, MSC Splendida and others), to world class standard. “First and port of Carnival Corporation- which has ship. SkillGrader enables but change is in the wind, speci? cally foremost, from the owner’s perspec- formed a joint venture with China State these efforts with a tablet- to design and delivery vessels purpose tive, is proving that the production is Shipbuilding Corporation (CSSC). Two built for the market. For example on- world class (in China)”, a process that, 133,000 gross ton vessels (roughly based application that allows board amenities and space con? gura- in Reyes’ estimation, is neither short 4,000 passenger capacity), the ? rst any trainer or supervisor to tions – with enhanced shopping and nor straight. set to deliver in 2023, will be built for a objectively and reliably assess gambling areas – vary signi? cantly Reyes and his team were involved in new Carnival cruise brand aimed at the from Western serving ships. the Greg Mortimer, project, a ship be- Chinese market. In a complicated deal employees. The application

Chinese yards are venturing into the ing built in China at China Merchant ? rst announced in early 2017, Fincan- uses a binary grading scheme deeper waters of cruise ship construc- Heavy Industries (CMHI). The vessel’s tieri will provide technical support to to reduce human bias that tion and the infrastructure required. owner, Sun Stone Ships, will then put the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding “Here in China we saw an unbelievable the luxury vessel on long-term charter yard (a subsidiary within CSSC). Costa can lead to variation. After opportunity, as it is a country that has to Aurora Expeditions, which will deploy Cruises, another Carnival brand, is also the assessment, SkillGrader the intention, the interest and the re- her in the Antarctic. A sister expedition planning to reposition two smaller ves- automatically analyzes the sources to develop its market for pas- vessel will be delivered in 2020. sels (2,100 passenger capacity) into senger vessels” said Carlos H. Reyes, “We signed the ? rst project with Sun- the Chinese market in late 2019, to data collected and delivers a

Tillberg & Reyes Group Co., Ltd., in an Stone, which is a framework agree- jump-start the Carnival / CSSC China comprehensive report on indi- interview with Maritime Reporter. “The ment for 10 ships to be built at China offering. vidual and team performance. www.marinels.com 30 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News • MARCH 2019

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