Thursday, April 23, 2009

Have you ever wondered….?

During an Explorer Seminar the other evening, voyagers were given a rare opportunity to quiz the four most senior officers of the crew on anything and everything having to do with our voyage, their jobs, and the MV Explorer.

There is a lot that goes into the daily operation of the ship; probably more than we’ll ever know. There are over 200 crew aboard the MV Explorer who work tirelessly to ensure that things run smoothly during the voyage. The ship was built as a cruise liner in 2002 by the German firm, Blohm & Voss, and then later retrofitted as a floating campus when purchased by Semester at Sea. It is the fastest passenger ship of its kind in the world, with a capability to reach around 30 knots and it is just under 600 ft. in length, with seven decks.

L to R: Chief Engineer Mario Penniello, Staff Captain Konstantinos Siamantas, Master Captain Jeremy Kingston, and Hotel Director Stefan Heuser

Now meet our incredible officers. Our Master Captain, Jeremy Kingston, has been on the sea since a young child. He joined the P&O Steam Navigation Company as a Cadet Officer in 1974 and then served on a number of vessels as he interspersed his voyages with studies at the Southampton School of Navigation at Warsah in the United Kingdom. It would take him about ten years of training before he qualified to be a captain and another twelve before he received a master position, but in that time, he achieved an exemplary record in the cruise industry.

Our Staff Captain is Kostas Siamantas. He began his career at sea as a deck cadet at the age of 18 for Niarhos Shipping Company and then attended the Merchant Marine Academy of Thessaloniki, Greece from which he graduated in 1985. In 1987, Siamantas began his career in the cruise industry and over the years, he has held the positions of 1st Officer, Safety Officer, and now captain.

This next person is arguably the most important member of our crew, especially considering the fact that there are over 700 hungry college students aboard the ship. Our Hotel Director, Stefan Heuser, runs the operations of the ship that are probably closest to us, such as the dining services and housekeeping. He was born and raised in Germany and started his professional career with a formal apprenticeship to become a chef. He began is career at sea in 1992, working on a small luxury passenger ship, and then he joined V. Ships, the company which manages the MV Explorer, 14 years ago. After a number of successful assignments around the globe for V. Ships, Stefan joined the crew of the MV Explorer in August 2005 and has been with us since.

Our fourth senior officer is the Chief Engineer, Mario Penniello. Mario oversees all of the technical aspects of the ship and literally keeps the engines running. He also is in charge of a number of other essential systems of the ship including our water and electrical systems.

Here are some of the questions that voyagers asked our officers. (Not exact quotes, I have paraphrased in some cases)

Q: How is water made aboard the MV Explorer?
Chief Engineer: The ship has a freshwater system that takes in seawater, which is then run through filters and chlorinated. In addition to the pure water used for drinking , we also have grey water and black water tanks. The grey water is water collected from the sinks, galley, laundry, and showers, etc…Black water comes from our sewage system. While we are at sea, both forms of water can be ejected (black water is treated with chlorine first) according to maritime regulations.

Q: How does our water usage compare to other voyages?
Staff Captain: Voyagers this semester are using the amount that is expected. Consumption is about 220-240 tons per day while we have the capacity to produce around 500 tons per day.

Q: How many pounds of potatoes are used during voyage?
Hotel Manager: We use about 500g/person/day at sea, which is about 400lbs/day. (That’s 43,200 lbs of potatos!!!)

Q: Where is the bread from?
Hotel Manager: All bread on board, with the exception of our bagels and English muffins, is baked fresh for every meal. We probably produce around 700-800 rolls per meal plus the toast at every meal and the pastries provided at breakfast.

Q: What is the ship’s fuel consumption like?
Chief Engineer: The ship’s fuel capacity is 1190 tons. We estimate that we will use about 700 tons to go from Hawaii to Guatemala.
Master Captain: We will probably get around 6 miles per ton. If we are going really fast, we may only get about 4 miles per ton. Our most efficient speed is probably somewhere around 14-15 knots but that is really debatable because the slower you go, the longer you are at sea, and you still consume a lot of fuel just to keep the ship going.

Q: How is electricity generated?
Chief Engineer: There are four generators on board that are separate from the main engines. Two are usually in use, sometimes three during maneuvers such as pulling into a port.

Q: What does it cost to be in port?
Master Captain: It really depends on the port. The cost is generally calculated by the gross tonnage of the ship. Sometimes, we are given exemptions though because we are an educational ship and prices can be reduced or even waived altogether.

Q: Do we have the capacity for green energy?
Chief Engineer: We try but there are no real alternatives to running the ship. All we can do is try to minimize consumption and be more efficient.
Master Captain: To give you an example of where technology is right now, there is now one ship being built with solar panels. All of the panels on board will generate enough electricity to be able to power one elevator.
(I also wanted to note Semester at Sea's Greening of the Ship initiative, which will be a phased $2.6 million project starting in Spring 2010. The plan will include improvements to the MV Explorer's water management system, HVAC, propellers, lighting, consumption, hydraulics, and other ship functions and will be integrated with a sustainability awareness program for voyagers.)

Q: Can you explain how the ship’s stabilizers work?
Master Captain: Stabilizers are basically like an aerofoil, which extend about 4 meters on each side when they’re out. They are controlled by a gyro sphere that automatically deploys them when it detects the ship leaning in one direction or the other. The effect on speed is debatable. I estimate we lose about half a knot when they’re out but if the ship is zigzagging a lot, you may use more fuel.

Q: How much can the ship roll? How far below waterline is the ship?
Master Captain: The MV Explorer is able to roll to about 67 degrees and come back without a problem. The ship extends about 24 ft below the surface.

Q: If you’re all here, who is driving right now?
Master Captain: I really don’t take the controls except for what is essentially parking the ship. There are three people who take turns steering and they work in shifts.

Q: What are the crew’s facilities like?
Staff Captain: There is a crew mess as well as an officer’s mess. There’s also a gym and a crew bar in the evenings where we hold events. Deck 4 aft is also available to them. In addition to the facilities on the ship. We also often organize trips in ports of call.

Q: How many washing machines are aboard the ship?
Hotel Manager: The ship has two large washing machines and 3 dryers. (I have to say, this really surprised all of us!)

Q: In case of an emergency, what is the estimated time to get everyone into lifeboats?
Master Captain: By law, we need to be able to get everyone safely off of the ship in 30 minutes or less.

Q: If there is a medical emergency while at sea, is surgery possible?
Master Captain: We have the capacity on board to perform surgeries but the ship’s medical facilities are generally designed to stabilize a patient’s condition until you can get them to shore. If necessary, we could also call for a medivac.

Q: Captain, in your opinion, what's the coolest room on the ship?
Master Captain: The meat room. (Get it?)


Photo by SAS Photographer John Weakley