David Carlisle · Chief ETO
An ETO who has sailed with the systems he specifies
Twenty-three years in the Merchant Navy, the last eighteen as an Electro-Technical Officer on some of the largest yachts in the world. From a 24 MW diesel-electric propulsion plant to the lighting database, I have been the person responsible for keeping it running, and on the owner’s build team at Lürssen the person specifying and accepting it.
That combination is the point. Systems that are elegant on the drawing and miserable to maintain get specified by people who have never had to maintain them.
UK ETO CoC (III/6)OOW Engineering CoC (III/1)BEng Electrical & Electronic Engineering, LeedsBSc Digital Communications & RF, Open UniversityFormer member, BSI JPEL/18
Career
2024 – present150 m+ new build, Lürssen VegesackChief ETOSpecification and design review; monitoring construction at each stage of the build; factory acceptance testing at suppliers and harbour acceptance testing at the yard; liaising with the shipyard build team; and compliance with class and flag.
2022 – 2024150 m+ new build, Lürssen VegesackChief ETOJoined for the last two months of the build: regulatory documentation, distribution and lighting made guest-ready on a compressed timetable. Commissioned the first MTU / Ingeteam electrical hybrid drive with the yard.
2022180 mRelief Chief ETOHybrid MTU / gas-turbine propulsion. KNX lighting and HVAC control re-programmed and optimised.
2016 – 2022MY Dilbar, 156 m, LürssenChief ETOElectrical department in charge of a Wärtsilä / Siemens HV diesel-electric plant (36 MVA, 24 MW propulsion). KNX lighting database reworked; power management tuned with Wärtsilä to cut fuel consumption.
2014 – 2016Project OMAR (MY Dilbar), LürssenChief ETO, owner’s build teamElectrical installation overseen from factory acceptance through sea trials and delivery. Designed the PMS concept for six generators across two engine rooms; point of contact for the AV/IT contractors. Delivered and commissioned on time.
2012 – 2013MY Al Raya, 110 mSole ETOAll electrical equipment on board, from MTU generation and propulsion to the integrated bridge.
2008 – 2012Golden Odyssey & Golden ShadowSole ETOElectrical and AV/IT installations kept to the owner’s expectations across the fleet.
2003 – 2008Holland America Line4th Engineer / 2nd ElectricianEngineering cadetship, then 4th Engineer, moving to 2nd Electrician on the strength of academic background and electrical experience.
Certificates & education
2017ETO Certificate of Competency (III/6)UK MCA, equivalence route
2003 – 2005OOW Engineering CoC (III/1)Warsash Maritime Academy
2001 – 2005BSc Digital Communications, Digital Logic Design & RF EngineeringOpen University
1996 – 1999BEng Electrical & Electronic EngineeringLeeds University
Technical ground
T.01Diesel-electric & hybridFifteen years on diesel-electric plant up to 36 MVA HV; MTU / Ingeteam and MTU / gas-turbine hybrid systems.
T.02KNX, DALI, DMXDesign, database rework and troubleshooting of hybrid lighting-control systems.
T.03AV/IT & networksOwner-side acceptance of AV/IT installations, networks and video distribution infrastructure.
T.04IDEA & AMOSPlanned maintenance and documentation systems used throughout a seagoing career.
T.05StandardsFormer member of BSI JPEL/18, the committee contributing to the IEC 60092 series.
Contact
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