NAPA enhances crew safety with launch of Permit to Work onboard Carnival Cruise Line and Virgin Voyages
The new digital Permit to Work system will enable better monitoring and management of hazardous tasks, helping improve crew safety, welfare and training
New digital Permit to Work system to help improve crew safety, efficiency, welfare and training
Helsinki, Finland: 3 September 2024 – NAPA, a global provider of maritime software and data services, has announced the launch of NAPA Permit to Work to improve crew safety and efficiency when conducting high-risk tasks onboard. The new software is currently being trialed by Carnival Cruise Line and Virgin Voyages, marking a step-change for seafarer safety by removing the risk factor associated with current paper-based processes and handovers.
NAPA Permit to Work will digitalize the mandatory work permit process required for conducting hazardous tasks onboard, such as working at height, performing hot work, or entering enclosed spaces. Traditionally, these permits are managed through paper forms as part of a ship operator’s Safety Management System (SMS) and require crews to spend hours going around the ship to collect a multitude of signatures from different departments. The manual nature of this process is prone to delays, errors, and miscommunication, posing safety risks and inefficiencies. Instead, the software will save time for crews by digitalizing those signatures and decrease incident risks by automatically notifying all relevant departments and personnel with real-time status updates of ongoing work, especially riskier tasks like tank cleaning.
Permit-to-Work digital form for Working Aloft/Overside
NAPA Permit to Work will act as a comprehensive digital checklist to help seafarers ensure that no safety-critical steps are missed. The system is designed so that no digital form is accepted unless all required safety checks are completed before the start of any job, significantly reducing the risk of oversight. Post-COVID, a large proportion of crew working aboard cruise ships are on their first contract with little at-sea experience. This functionality provides a virtual guide and augments previous training, eases handovers and minimizes the margin for error.
For shoreside teams, this data transparency delivers better fleet-wide visibility of ongoing work and conditions, enabling a more proactive approach to safety, maintenance and resolving technical issues. Taking a long-term view, the data collected on the platform can be analyzed to help spot trends at a granular, per vessel and per voyage level. This can be used to evaluate what machinery or systems require maintenance to then swiftly take preventative or remedial action. From a passenger and guest experience perspective, this functionality also contributes to easier and faster maintenance work facilitated by real-time visibility and prioritization of tasks.
Piervalerio Vignola, Director FOC, Carnival Cruise Line, said: “NAPA Permit to Work will be a game changer in automating processes and streamlining workflows to ensure the highest safety standards and procedures are followed in a timely manner.
“Crew safety and welfare are key pillars for our operational and commercial success, which is why investing in our continued digitalization with NAPA was a no-brainer. Embracing these digital technologies gives us the peace of mind that we are upholding rigorous safety standards that protect our crew, passengers and assets.”
Marco Carsjens, Fleet Captain, Virgin Voyages, commented: “We have a long-standing relationship with NAPA that is built on mutual trust, and we were very excited to participate in the development of this product. NAPA Permit to Work is definitely a tool that will make the life of officers and crew onboard our ships much easier as it is a cornerstone for safe working practices.
“With open dialogue and feedback, we have seen the tangible benefits of digitalization and automation with digital tools that can be customized and tailored to our needs. NAPA Permit to Work will further this positive trajectory and allow our crew to feel supported and assured in their decision-making and safety.”
Tommi Vihavainen, Director of Development, NAPA Safety Solutions, said: “NAPA Permit to Work is a culmination of decades of active collaboration with the industry to seize the opportunities of digitalization and take safety to new heights. Since day one, we have worked closely with our customers and seafarers at the frontline to hear their concerns around safety. With their feedback, we have built a digital system that contributes to a safer working environment for them. Underpinned by better data recording, reporting and analysis, we are empowering organizations to gain a full-picture understanding of their fleets at every level so that they can take a proactive approach to operational safety and efficiency that puts crew welfare and safety first.”
NAPA Permit to Work has been developed for passenger and merchant vessels and is available globally. The software allows for customization according to each operator’s unique processes and Safety Management System guidelines.
NOTES TO EDITORS
About NAPA
NAPA is a leading provider of software and digital services for the global maritime industry, harnessing data science to enable safer, more sustainable and future-proof shipping. Founded in 1989 to provide smart solutions for ship design, NAPA is now the global reference in shipbuilding, with over 90% of new vessels built by NAPA customers. Today, the company’s expertise spans the entire lifecycle of a ship, from shipyards to operational safety and efficiency at sea. Over 3000 commercial ships globally sail with NAPA safety and efficiency solutions, which include digital ship stability systems that enable a proactive approach to safety at sea, cloud-based performance monitoring that delivers insights to unlock new operational efficiencies, and voyage optimization solutions that help reduce greenhouse gas emissions from voyages. Headquartered in Finland, NAPA employs 200 experts and operates globally, with a presence in Japan, Korea, China, Singapore, the USA, Germany, Greece, Romania and India. For more information, visit: www.napa.fi
About Carnival Cruise Line
Carnival Cruise Line, part of Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), is the first cruise line to sail over 100 million guests and is proud to be known as America’s Cruise Line, for carrying more Americans and serving more U.S. homeports than any other. Since its founding in 1972, Carnival has continually revolutionized the cruise industry and popularized the cruise vacation as an affordable and fun travel option. Carnival operates from 14 U.S. and two Australian homeports, as well as seasonally from Europe and employs more than 48,000 team members representing 120 nationalities. Carnival’s fleet of 27 ships reflects an exciting period of growth that continues with the addition of seven ships through 2033: two ships joining in February 2025 when P&O Cruises Australia integrates into Carnival; a fourth and fifth Excel class ship scheduled for 2027 and 2028 respectively; followed by three additional new ships from an innovative new class currently under development. Carnival’s next new guest offering will be the all-new exclusive destination, Celebration Key, set to debut on Grand Bahama next summer.
About Virgin Voyages
Promising to Create an Epic Sea Change for All, Virgin Voyages is the award-winning, exclusively adult cruise line founded by Sir Richard Branson. Delivering unforgettable, relaxing vacations at sea, Virgin Voyages launched at the end of 2021. Inspired by superyacht design, its fleet of Lady Ships exemplify an elevated, boutique hotel at sea with contemporary spaces that strike the perfect balance of nautical chic and glamour. Currently departing from the sun-soaked cities of Miami, Barcelona, Athens and San Juan, the fleet offers more than 60 unique itineraries, sailing to 100 incredible ports of call. On-board, 20+ eateries feature culinary experiences from Michelin-star chefs, stylish workout spaces and group fitness classes are offered daily, and a festival-like line-up of intimate and larger-than-life shows are on the agenda. Paired with modern, tech-savvy cabins, designer suites fit for a rockstar and a mermaid-inspired spa and thermal suite, the brand is taking the industry by storm. In 2023, Virgin Voyages won Condé Nast Traveler’s top honors in its highly coveted Readers’ Choice Award for the best large ocean cruise line and swept the Cruise Critic Cruisers’ Choice Awards – the first time a brand has won in all five categories.
Press contact
Chandralekha Mukerji
Head of Marketing and Communications
T: +358 408273014
E: chandralekha.mukerji@napa.fi
