Interview between Adonis Violaris of CSN and Athena Kanellatou, Operations Director Mediterranean, Middle East and India, MacGregor.

Can you provide an overview of MacGregor’s history and core focus within the maritime industry?

MacGregor traces its roots back to the 1920s when the engineer brothers Robert and Joseph MacGregor developed the first steel hatch cover. MacGregor subsequently became synonymous with hatch covers for the shipping industry but market leadership in this segment was also only the start of its story.

With the acquisition of well-known marine legacy brands such as Hägglunds Crane, deck machinery from Hatlapa and Pusnes, mooring and loading/offloading systems from Aker Solutions, Porsgrunn steering gear and TTS loading and offloading systems, and others, over 50 brands now come under the MacGregor umbrella. Its equipment is on board around 40,000 vessels worldwide; this is equivalent to approximately every second ship at sea having one or more MacGregor products, while we also note a growing number of new build contracts for MacGregor solutions across all segments and vessel types.

How has MacGregor adapted to the evolving needs and challenges of the maritime sector over the years?

We are proud to say that MacGregor equipment is associated with state of the art vessels across all segments, with demanding cargo operations where safety, quality and reliability are mission critical. MacGregor equipment and services are also supporting some of the most exciting deep-sea discoveries of recent times, providing safe offshore loading and deck handling from the Arctic to the Equator and sustaining North Sea shuttle tankers undertaking 50 cycles a year – to mention but a few.

Nevertheless, it is fair to say that the global environment has become more demanding over time with an increasing emphasis on sustainability and the intelligent use of resources. We also support our customers by continuously developing new ways to improve efficiency to meet industry challenges as they evolve, whether they relate to safety, electrification, automation or advanced and remote services.

What are the key products or services that MacGregor offers, and how do they benefit the maritime industry?

MacGregor is a world-leading cargo and load handling equipment of hatch covers, cranes, deck machinery, RoRo equipment and global services which combine innovative product development across 50 brands, based on knowledge from about 1,000 experts and supported by 40 service centres around the globe.

Our innovative and comprehensive solutions span the merchant and offshore sectors, providing fast, safe and clean cargo workflows for vessels and solutions shipbuilders can rely on for their superior and optimised designs, streamlined installation processes and expert support.

Ship owners and operators benefit from an approach that is based on system-building efficiencies and lifetime service excellence. From the initial concept and design, during shipbuilding and delivery and throughout vessel operations, our services include local technical and remote support, crew training and retrofit solutions that open up new market opportunities.

How does MacGregor ensure the quality and reliability of its products and services for its maritime clients?

MacGregor’s leading position in the global maritime and offshore industries is the result of its commitment and prioritisation of safety, its strict adherence to compliance, and an approach that seeks to create value for customers, shipyards and ship owners. Reliable systems are crucial, whether for tankers, gas carriers, or ship-to-shore operations, or for the bulk carriers that transport hazardous, food-grade, or valuable cargo and often experience shipping’s hardest handling conditions.

Cargo handling solutions are linked to the vessel’s earning capacity, to be used onboard ships for over 20 years and need to demonstrate reliability throughout their lifetime. Therefore, our work starts from understanding our customers’ needs, covers designing value-creating solutions and continues with lifetime support on-site and remotely to maximise safety and performance, and minimise unplanned downtime.

For these reasons, we operate a continuous improvement agenda, working with our clients to ensure that solutions are easy to install, easy to maintain, energy-efficient, and optimized for weight and noise. We also provide remote technical support, while seeking to enhance ship-to-shore collaboration by implementing novel ways to upskill and empower crew.

Alongside our global service network, we have developed digital tools to help monitor and uphold the performance of MacGregor systems in operation. These include OnWatch Scout, a software solution that can connect to installed equipment to offer advanced monitoring, component condition, maintenance needs and step by step technical guidance to the crew and shore personnel to save time and money.

What role does innovation play in MacGregor’s strategy, and can you share any recent technological advancements or new solutions your company has developed?

Innovation is key to MacGregor’s continuing success as a global supplier of efficient load-handling solutions for the maritime and offshore industries. For us, evolving technology is not the sole motivation for R&D and innovations. The most important motive is the customer’s and ship’s needs.

Good examples are the development of autonomous cranes, the fully automatic twist lock “Hippo”, GravityVibe^TM – the new gravity self-unloading system that enhances flexibility and efficiency in bulk handling, MacRack Electric Hatch Covers, and the CargoBoost solution to increase the carrying capacity of container ships.

As we also have a huge installed base of reliable handling solutions across all vessel types, MacGregor also maintains a continuous record of user feedback covering vessel operations and market requirements to inform our recommendations on system upgrades. MacGregor’s cumulative knowledge and experience is unrivalled in the field.

How does MacGregor approach customer service and support in the maritime industry, which often requires global reach and 24/7 availability?

We aim to be our customers’ preferred partners for a lifetime and that demands a commitment to ensure optimum vessel performance around the globe, 24/7. With around 40,000 vessels worldwide featuring a product on board that is eligible for service from MacGregor, customer service and support is a key area of our daily focus and work. The company’s multi-brand, multi-divisional structure ensures its combined workforce possesses a comprehensive and diverse skillset, with the average length of service for employees across the group today around 17–18 years. MacGregor’s global service network comprises more than 900 service specialists at around 40 service centres in 31 major ship-owning countries. 24/7 Technical support, stock availability in key locations, experienced service engineers and dedicated customer care personnel work hand in hand mobilising the entire network to serve vessel inquiries anywhere in the world. Focused on maximising operational availability and minimising unplanned downtime, we are also leading the way in offering digital solutions to further enhance our service support capabilities and make a positive impact on sustainability.

Can you discuss the importance of environmental sustainability in the maritime sector and how MacGregor contributes to this goal?

We are committed to offering products and services that help customers mitigate environmental risks, optimise cargo flows, reduce energy consumption and operational costs with a focus on safety and maximising equipment availability.

As one example, MacGregor has led the way by delivering increasing numbers of electrically driven cranes, winches and hatch cover systems in recent years, as owners have come to appreciate their high efficiency, easy installation, avoidance of hydraulic oils and lower operating costs.

MacGregor has also focused intensively on developing smart strategies to support fast turnaround time at ports, enhance training for crew and deliver remote technical support 24/7, as key steps to help customers save time and resources. We engage continuously with our clients to support their best use of existing resources, whether through system exchange programs to extend equipment lifetime, fleet modernisation, or use of remote monitoring techniques to limit engineer travel costs.

Can you describe a particularly challenging project or application that MacGregor has successfully tackled in the maritime sector?

MacGregor has developed Cargo Boost to overcome a sometimes overlooked inefficiency in container ship design, in an innovation that has been successfully adopted by over 140 ships.

A randomly chosen container ship is likely to be carrying only about 80% of its nominal TEU-capacity – falling significantly below its optimum performance in terms of emissions per transported unit of cargo. Cargo Boost subjects the design of an existing ship to an analysis of all parts of its cargo systems to seek out areas of flexibility. Usually, low-hanging fruit can be found in documentation alone where, for example, improving the cargo securing manual can yield capacity gains. Examples could include realising available allowances for higher stack weights for 40 ft containers – a potential source of new revenue. Physical work can also bring results: ISO Gap adapters on hatch covers, lashing bridge elevations, and changing internal lashings to external lashings can boost capacity. Cargo Boost has been proven to enable ships to carry up to 15% higher loads without increasing emissions.