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Cummins marine customers have limited time to spend in dock for any repairs or maintenance, which means an effective response and quick turnaround time is essential. To gauge the specific requirements of its marine customer base, and how best to respond to these, the Cummins marine business based in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has just completed an extensive survey that will underpin its strategy for this important sector going forward.
A full range of commercial and recreational marine diesel engines is available from Cummins, in addition to marine application engineering services and a global parts and service network. These engines range from three litres to 95 litres, with Cummins having a legacy of 80 years’ experience in the segment. Its variable speed propulsion solutions have been designed specifically for the challenges of commercial, government, and recreational marine applications.
These include the mechanical K and N Series and the electronic Quantum Series. All have proven extremely durable in arduous marine environments, with the NTA855 and KTA19/38/50 certified to meet IMO Tier II emissions standards. For the Quantum Series, the QSK38 and QSK60 meet both the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier 3 and 4 emissions standards as well as IMO Tier III global emissions standards.
Cummins’ ReCon engines are being punted as an ideal solution for budget-conscious customers, offering major benefits such as reliability, performance, service network, warranty, and price. “Our sales and service teams maintain regular contact with our clients in terms of their specific requirements. They also raise awareness about our ReCon engines, which represent a significant saving in downtime, especially when a vessel is docked,” says Prafulla Dande, Parts Territory Manager at Cummins in Dubai.
Hence Cummins embarked on its latest customer survey and assessment, a process underway since 2019 as it sought to establish itself in this key market segment in the UAE and increase awareness of its value proposition. “Reliability is probably the most critical factor in the marine segment, together with a global service and distribution network,” says Dande.
“It is important to maintain a high level of engagement with our marine clients. Even if they approach us with a particular issue that requires a short turnaround time, we always ensure we have required support to assist customers. Ensuring parts availability is a critical aspect.” Dande adds that during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, Cummins prepared interactive webinars for its key customers.
“Embarking on this survey assured our customer base that Cummins is proactive rather than reactive, especially when it comes to making them aware of new products and the latest technological developments,” concludes Dande. Cummins’ global experience and distribution network stands it in good stead in this regard.