For Rolls-Royce, North America is one of its largest markets. In the Marine business, its diverse nature, impressive economic statistics and sheer size make this region a prime focus of activity across all our markets of Naval, Merchant and Offshore and with increasing opportunities for aftermarket repair and overhaul.
“The United States, Canada and increasingly, Mexico represent growing markets, each with a mix of major ship owners and operators, but also critical linkages with ship repair yards and major world ports. Add to that an extensive network of inland waterways moving millions of tonnes of bulk cargo, the world’s largest navy and an abundance of natural resources exported around the globe, and North America represents a golden opportunity,” says Will Roberts, Rolls-Royce, Senior Vice President Services – Americas.
The US economy remains the world’s largest. The country is still the largest trading nation and output from its industrial sector accounts for almost one fifth of global manufacturing. To the north, Canada is a major exporter of agricultural products and, unusual for a developed country, the ‘primary sector’ industries of logging and oil are two of its most important.
Firmly established in the maritime industry
The Rolls-Royce Marine business has developed over the past 20-30 years to a point where it has strong positions in the three key markets of Merchant, Offshore and Naval.
Will Roberts adds: “We have a presence in and around the major ports and a team of highly skilled engineers who are fully mobile and consider the whole of the Americas as ‘their territory’.
“Fully equipped state-of-the-art service centres are now the norm for Rolls-Royce and have a global network spanning 34 countries. The latest has just opened in Las Palmas in the Canary Islands, and this is of great interest to our offshore customers transiting between the Gulf of Mexico, Brazil and Africa, Asia and Europe.
“In North America, we have a diverse customer base and to put it into some perspective, our products are present on a large number of ships, from propellers on some of the world’s largest naval vessels, to waterjets on a wide variety of craft, through to thrusters and deck machinery on offshore vessels.”
In-service support
In recent years, Rolls-Royce has expanded its network of Marine Service Centres across North America. Each of these Centres is equipped to repair and overhaul a wide range of Rolls-Royce equipment, and each has individual characteristics, based on location.
“Our priority is to align our solutions with our customers and to provide the best possible service we can”, says Will Roberts, Rolls-Royce, Senior Vice President Services – Americas.
“We do that by providing high quality service for our customers that enables them to go about their daily business, while we’re taking up the responsibility for ensuring their vessel’s availability.”
In Galveston, the prime focus is strategic support for customers in the offshore oil and gas sectors, and the large amount of merchant shipping for both cargo and the ever-popular cruise market.
Will adds: “We see the Gulf of Mexico as a circuit, with distinctly different types of customers in a variety of locations. Galveston is home to numerous large drill ships, so we service and overhaul a growing number of our larger thrusters there. Around New Orleans, we provide round-the-clock support a fleet of mainly supply boats and tugs. Even in these difficult times in the Oil and Gas sector, we are looking to grow our presence within this region.”
“In Mexico, we have a servicing presence in two locations; the deepwater port Vera Cruz, a with a mix of offshore and merchant traffic; and Cuidad del Carmen, dedicated to oil and gas. We know that when the oil and gas market recovers, Mexico will be an important growth area.”
In Seattle, skilled engineers support a variety of equipment on a mix of vessels, including many of the arctic fishing fleets. Service capability extends further north into Alaska, with an operation in the port of Dutch Harbor, where technicians are based to coincide with the fishing season, returning south during the harshest months of the winter when ice deems fishing impossible.
From St Johns, Newfoundland, through our overhaul facility in Walpole, MA, down to Miramar, outside of Miami, Florida, our East Coast operations work across the growing Offhsore oil leases in Canada, with the US Navy, and also the luxury yacht and Cruise market of Florida.