This week, members of the Turner Price Offshore team had the opportunity to step onboard the Wind Peak vessel while docked in Hull.
While the scale of the vessel itself was impressive, one of the most interesting aspects of the visit was seeing first hand the planning, logistics and foodservice operation required to support crews working offshore for extended periods.
With crews typically working 12 hour shifts from 6am to 6pm, or vice versa, and remaining offshore for up to five or six weeks at a time, catering plays a vital role in day to day life onboard. The vessel can accommodate up to 130 people, although around 80 crew is more typical during operations.
The catering team serves meals throughout the day, including breakfast from 5am to 7am, lunch from 11am to 12.30pm and evening meals from 5pm to 7pm. To keep things varied, themed menus are regularly introduced, including Chinese Wednesdays, Fish Fridays, Steak Saturdays, pizza lunches on Sundays and traditional roast dinners on Sunday evenings.
As a foodservice wholesaler, what particularly stood out to us was the level of planning required behind the scenes. During our tour, we were shown the vessel’s chilled, frozen and ambient storage areas, all carefully organised to support weeks of offshore operations.
Unlike a restaurant, hotel or care home on land, replenishment isn’t always straightforward. Weather conditions, particularly high winds, can delay operations and extend time spent offshore, making forecasting, stock management and menu planning even more critical.
One comment from the catering team summed it up perfectly:
“Not everyone’s happy, and you’re always trying to cater for all.”
It’s a challenge familiar to anyone working in foodservice, but one that becomes even more complex when your customers live and work at sea.
The visit offered a fascinating insight into a part of the industry that many people never see. Behind every offshore project is a dedicated team responsible not only for engineering and operations, but also for ensuring crews are well fed, well looked after and ready to perform in demanding conditions.
A huge thank you to the crew and catering team onboard for taking the time to show us around and share an insight into life at sea.
