Spring 2001
Seaward SEA GUARD Marine Fenders Protect World's Largest Cruise Ship at “The Cruise Ship Capital of the World”
“All our vessel captains are very impressed with the Seaward marine fendering system. We have recommended installation of
Seaward SEA GUARD marine fenders to other port authorities where our vessels are berthed.”
Capt. Tellef Lie-Nielsen
Director
Marine Nautical
Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines
Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd., is one of the world’s largest cruise companies. In October 1999, Royal Caribbean took delivery of Voyager of the Seas, the first of the Voyager-class vessels. With a gross tonnage of approximately 140,000 tonnes, a displacement tonnage of 64,400 tonnes and an overall length of 310.7 meters (1,020 feet), the Voyager of the Seas is the largest and one of the most innovative cruise ships ever built. It has berths for 3,100 passengers and is designed to provide a diversity of options for vacationing families and for those seeking active sports and entertainment alternatives. Among the unique features of the Voyager-class ships are the cruise industry's first horizontal atrium (four decks tall and longer than a football field) for entertainment facilities, shops and restaurants. Recreational activities such as rock climbing, ice skating, miniature golf and full court basketball are offered, as well as enhanced staterooms, expanded dining options and a variety of areas for lounging and socializing.
Royal Caribbean Cruises chose the Dante B. Fascell Port of Miami-Dade, also known as the cruise capital of the world, as the home port for the Voyager of the Seas. The first of two cruise terminals specially renovated for the Voyager of the Seas opened in November 1999, with Seaward SEA GUARD marine fenders prominently installed. Pete Brand served as Royal Caribbean’s project manager for the Miami project.
The terminal’s enhanced features combine technology and travel services in a nautical design so that vacationers can enjoy a seamless passage from home to stateroom. The $76 million renovation includes a 750-space parking garage that connects to the terminal via a third floor pedestrian bridge. The roof structure, consisting of Teflon fabric suspended from cables and masts, resembles a sailing ship with the sails unfurled, whose evening lighting adds a distinctive new silhouette to the Miami skyline. And an outdoor observation deck, elevated above the third floor, provides an exciting view for family and friends wishing to bid the departing passengers bon voyage.
Sixteen Seaward SEA GUARD High Capacity marine fenders, 7 feet (2.1m) in diameter by 18 feet (5.5m) long, are utilized at the facilitys dock. Engineers at Post Buckley Schuh & Jernigan in Miami designed the fendering system to provide the Voyager of the Seas at least 4 feet (1.2m) of standoff in winds up to 75 mph (121 kilometers/hour) or at berthing velocities up to 0.5 feet/second (0.15 m/sec). The standoff requirement was set by the Florida Department of Environmental Resources Management to protect the endangered Florida manatees that inhabit these coastal waters. “Our challenge,” notes Saaid M. Saaid, of Post Buckley Schuh & Jernigan, “was to find a fender that could provide the four feet of standoff while still providing the energy absorption required by such a large vessel. The SEA GUARD fenders provided the solution.” Gimrock Construction, Inc., of Hialeah Gardens, Florida, installed the fenders.
Other advantages of SEA GUARD fenders for this application include the low reaction force, the low hull pressure and the tough, non-marking outer skin. SEA GUARD fenders are also easy to install and have low maintenance requirements.
“The Port of Miami operations and engineering personnel are impressed with the Royal Caribbean installation,” says Paul Martinez, Vice President of Bruno Elias & Associates, which contracts with the Port of Miami to provide engineering for capital improvements at the port. “All the feedback regarding the installation has been positive. Seaward manufactures a very high quality product.”
A ccording to Capt. Tellef Lie-Nielsen, Royal Caribbean's Director, Marine Nautical, “All our vessel captains are very impressed with the Seaward International fendering system. We have recommended installation of Seaward SEA GUARD fenders to other port authorities where our vessels are berthed.”