Inside Carnival’s Miami FOC: Live ship data that’s redefining cruise fleet operations

How Carnival Cruise Line’s Miami Fleet Operations Center is revolutionizing fleet safety and operational efficiency with real-time shipboard data available 24/7 on the shoreside.

In this video, Piervalerio Vignola, Director of Fleet Operations Center and Nautical Technology at Carnival Cruise Line (CCL), discusses how their Fleet Operations Center (FOC) in Miami, the largest in the industry, leverages crucial operational insights from NAPA’s system to enhance daily operations, ensuring safety and efficiency of their cruise fleet.

Edited excerpts of the above interview:

A Cutting-Edge Cruise Fleet Operations Center

Our Fleet Operations Center in Miami is the largest in the industry, supporting our fleet 24/7. We always have two people on watch, ready to respond to any issues that arise on board. Any incident reported from a ship is directed to the appropriate department immediately for resolution.

The Miami FOC was established in 2017, building upon our experiences from Hamburg and Seattle. We completely reimagined the concept of a fleet operations center, ensuring that all marine operation stakeholders are located on the same floor. This setup facilitates seamless communication between departments, streamlining decision-making and enhancing overall operational efficiency.

Planning and Monitoring Voyages with Ship Stability Data On Shoreside

One of the standout features of NAPA’s solution is NAPA Stability, which we use daily. The newly introduced online NAPA Stability feature at the Fleet Operations Center has significantly reduced our workload. Previously, we manually checked every ship’s loading condition each night to ensure compliance. Now, with real-time access to GM data, displacement, and other stability parameters, we can monitor these metrics 24/7 via a centralized dashboard.

This dashboard also allows us to set safety thresholds, enabling us to detect and address potential stability concerns immediately. If an anomaly is detected, we can communicate with the ship’s crew to determine whether it is a data discrepancy or a genuine operational issue.

Stability data is also essential for analyzing tank data, which is automatically logged and transmitted to our system. This information helps us track water consumption throughout a cruise, allowing us to optimize bunkering operations and identify potential risks in specific itineraries. All of this data is seamlessly integrated through NAPA Stability.

Driving Efficiency with Logbook Data Sync

The NAPA Logbook is a vital tool for our operations at the Fleet Operations Center. It serves as the primary channel for transmitting critical information from ships to our shoreside teams. Some data is manually inputted by the chief engineer via the NAPA Logbook, while other data is automatically synced to our system through NAPA Office (now, NAPA Fleet Intelligence) at scheduled intervals.

Every officer relies on this tool daily. Over time, thanks to close collaboration with NAPA engineers, we have developed a user-friendly interface that simplifies operations. We are continuously improving this system by integrating digital checklists, making our operations more efficient and reducing reliance on manual processes. By advancing our digital capabilities, we aim to further streamline workflows and enhance operational transparency across our fleet.

Setting New Benchmarks in Cruise Fleet Management

Carnival Cruise Line’s Miami Fleet Operations Center is setting new benchmarks in cruise fleet management by integrating cutting-edge shipboard data solutions from NAPA. By leveraging real-time operational insights, predictive analytics, and digital tools, they are proactively enhancing safety, efficiency, and sustainability across CCL’s fleet. The partnership between Carnival Cruise Line and NAPA is a testament to how innovative technology can drive meaningful improvements in the cruise industry’s future.