From floating turbines to mooring analysis, Consultant Engineer Manuel Beltra has quickly become a go-to team member across Apollo’s marine and mechanical projects. In this edition of Powered by People, Manuel shares how a love of problem solving, cross discipline collaboration and a working knowledge of Orcaflex have shaped his path from Spain to Aberdeen.
Manuel, can you tell us a little about your role at Apollo and what drew you to engineering in the first place?
My role at Apollo is as a consultant engineer, primarily supporting the mechanical team. However, I have also contributed to a broad range of projects involving structural, marine, CFD, and naval engineering disciplines. This has allowed me to cover a wide scope of offshore engineering demands, from equipment selection and sizing to structural checks, cost estimation, offshore event simulations, modelling, and fluid dynamics analysis.
I would say I have always been an engineer at heart, or at least been driven by its core principle “finding solutions to any problem”. Even before I knew what I wanted to study, that principle tied together the different paths I considered. Combined with the desire to find solutions grounded in the real world, it ultimately steered me toward engineering as a natural choice.
You've already worked on a wide range of projects – which one stands out most to you, and why?
Marine projects have always caught my attention, due to the added complexity when dealing with the offshore environment. A project that immediately comes to mind is a mooring design analysis for a novel floating tidal turbine.
The project consisted of providing engineering advice and recommendations for the conceptual design of the floating device. The system was first modelled in Orcaflex to simulate the expected offshore conditions at the proposed location. Based on the results obtained, we developed recommendations for the mooring design, cable layout, connections, installation methodology, frame optimisation.
What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned since starting at Apollo?
What surprised me the most since starting at Apollo is how much different engineering disciplines overlap in the industry and how Apollo actively considers this when carrying out different projects.
When I joined Apollo, I expected to focus mainly on the mechanical sector, but this broader perspective has allowed me to develop my professional skills across multiple disciplines. It has continuously supported my self-learning and helped me to better understand the complexity of projects, while seeing firsthand how everything connects and how teamwork truly makes a difference.
Who has been your biggest mentor or supporter at Apollo so far, and how have they helped you grow?
During my time at Apollo lots of names come to my mind when thinking of who supported me on my journey. Although, there are three that clearly stand out.
Peter Christie has supported me since my very first day, always helping to clarify any technical doubts or problems I could have possibly had. It’s impressive how much he knows and the wide range of software and disciplines he is comfortable at.
Gary Stevenson is an approachable and supportive manager who actively seeks feedback and generously offers his expertise to carry your professional career in the best way possible, making him an ideal leader to work with.
Will Brindley was the first principal engineer to encourage me to step beyond the mechanical discipline and explore new frontiers. He mentored me early on in the naval sector, introducing me to OrcaFlex and the wide range of areas involved in naval engineering. He has been a key influence in helping me discover my true interests within the engineering industry.
What advice would you give to someone just starting their engineering journey?
“Doing it right is faster than doing it twice”. Meaning that approaching tasks methodically, carefully and step by step will bring you to the end goal faster than doing it quick but having to redo the work multiple times. Because, ultimately, the final version will still need to be done correctly.
Favourite local restaurant and why?
The Silver Darling. It’s one of the few places in Aberdeen that you can have sea food, bringing me back home in Spain. This and its stunning location that offers panoramic sea and harbour views makes it my favourite restaurant in Aberdeen.
Twix, Wispa, Kinder or KitKat?
Kinder and coffee make everything feel possible to tackle.
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