Fleet Operations Center: New technologies are the basis for improved processes

They make up almost a third of the global cruise fleet. The more than 100 ships of AIDA Cruises and its sister companies have such illustrious names as AIDAcosma, Costa Smeralda, M/S Britannia or Queen Mary. Some of them offer space for more than 6,000 people. If there are delays or a major event awaits the arrivals when docking in the next port, the most beautiful time of the year quickly becomes a logistical challenge.

Continuous exchange with crew of the cruise ships

However, passengers on the floating vacation paradises are generally unaware of such obstacles. The superintendents of the FOC monitor and evaluate radar data, courses, speeds, positions and routes of the fleet day and night. For continuous communication with the ship’s crew, Carnival Maritime’s nautical experts in the high-tech control center in Hamburg have access to pioneering technologies from the JST control room specialists’ portfolio.

“Ensure that a plan B, C and D is immediately available”

“We have the best and most modern FOC here and can therefore offer an incredibly attractive workplace,” says Adrian Graf Domaschke (Senior Manager Nautical Operations & Fleet Operations Center). His credo: “Our goal is to be able to offer the safest and most beautiful vacation. All our colleagues have been at sea as officers or captains so that they can really evaluate and assess the situation on board. We are there to ensure that a plan B, C and D is immediately available in case of doubt. The FOC is one of the pillars of the structure required for this.

Unique look attracts a lot of media interest

With its huge video wall, ergonomic high-tech consoles and ultra-modern meeting rooms, the “Fleet Operations Center 2.0” attracted a great deal of media interest when it opened. However, it is not just the visual features that make this JST installation so unique, but in particular the technology behind it all. After the Jungmann team was responsible for the planning and installation of the first FOC in Hamburg a few years ago, Carnival Maritime also benefits from the know-how of the control room experts for the upgrade.

Virtual 360° tour of the Fleet Operations Center

Greatest benefit is invisible at first glance

Technological progress is evident, for example, in the KVM system, JST MultiStreaming^®, a network-based IP streaming solution. Adrian Graf Domaschke explains this in more detail: “We quickly realized that the new MultiStreaming product offers us significant advantages over the tried-and-tested, hardware-based MultiConsoling. There are the SplitScreens, for example. Our electronic nautical chart is not only available at the workstations, it can also be shared in our Emergency Response Center or we can work on it on the video wall across several monitors.”

Video wall becomes an indispensable tool

The experienced nautical engineer with a captain’s license particularly appreciates the flexibility of the new equipment: “The video wall displays are integrated into the work areas of each employee. They serve as an extension of their own workplace. If we get really deep into individual scenarios, we need ten to 15 sources at the same time – then every superintendent can use the video wall directly. That’s a huge advantage of the Jungmann system! We can expand our own workplace at any time. The video wall with all its possibilities is available as a fifth or sixth screen.”

JST TacticTable® delivers tangible advantages

Adrian Graf Domaschke is similarly positive about another technical highlight in the new FOC: the JST TacticTable^®. The multifunctional situation table not only looks futuristic, it also provides tangible advantages for the control room crew. “The special thing about the TacticTable is the way we can work with each other. We actively solve questions together. It really is a different feeling and a different outcome. Initially, we weren’t really aware of the benefits, but the TacticTable has become extremely important in process development. Everyone can contribute, display own sources and work in the sources, so that in the end a complete overview for solving the problem is created.”

New options create improved processes

Over the past few years, the Hamburg cruise experts have gained extensive experience in crisis management for specific scenarios. Their requirements for equipping the new FOC were therefore clearly defined. For Senior Manager Graf Domaschke, one thing is certain: “If you want to invest in the future, „If you want to invest in the future, it makes sense to open up additional capabilities. And that’s what we have with the new technology. The optimizations create new, improved processes. We don’t run the risk of being subject to unwanted restrictions after just a short time.”