UK genset rental specialist Aggreko had a behind-the scenes part to play in the award-winning film ‘Titanic’. The company installed units capable of supplying over 87 000 A, mainly for the lighting required for the evening shots of the replica ship as it sat afloat in the 3 ha, 17 million gallon exterior seawater tank.

The task of lighting the windows of the 230 m-long replica, which was only ten per cent smaller than the original ship, took over 20 000 A. Special effects such as the sinking of the ship during the final stages of the film also required significant amounts of power as the steel and wood replica was lifted into a vertical position using four 450 t electro-hydraulic lifts.

The warm and dusty conditions of the Roarito Beach film set in Mexico, which is close to the equator, also meant that cooling and air conditioning were required. However, around 600 kW of heating was needed too, because the temperature of the water had to be raised to 21°C during the shots where the actors were in the water.

Much of the equipment supplied by Aggreko has been specially developed for the film and television industry. It included SuperHush Movie Generators, claimed to be the quietest of their type, and Twin Pack units, originally developed to provide uninterruptible power for live television broadcasts.