This March a five-week cruise ship refurbishment will see a ship transfer owners and emerge with a new national market and product offering on the hotel side.
“This is going to be very heavy on the hotel side, as the vessel is being sold and modified to cater to the new owner’s target market,” said Ramon de Lara, commercial manager at Navantia, a major drydock located in Cadiz.
De Lara said that larger scale projects can start being planned up to two years out, while more conventional drydockings are planned between 12 and 18 months out. The yard has bookings into 2020, he added.
“Some examples of our growth during recent years would include the fabrication and installation of a number of ducktails, to the fabrication and installation of aluminum cabin blocks, support of pod overhauls, hull modifications for a bubble system, and of course scrubber installations,” de Lara added.
Most drydocks specialize in regulatory and class work, often taking place below the water line.
For hull coatings, Navantia usually does blasting and coating, according to de Lara, ranging from a 10 percent repair of the paint to spot blasting and coating, to a complete new coating. He said that most coatings last seven to 10 years.
Successful projects revolve around the goal of an on-time delivery, which comes down to communication, planning, quality and safety, de Lara said, noting the yard had the capability to manage as many as four cruise projects at the same time.
“The planning not only will reflect the shipyard’s scope, but will also integrate the customer’s contractors,” he noted. “This also includes an emphasis on logistics.”
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