One of the world’s most eagerly awaited cruise liners, Cunard’s new £365m Queen Elizabeth, will be launched with an inventory of 5500 Cosalt Premier Lifejackets when the ship sets sail on its maiden voyage in October 2010. The order is the second contract Cosalt has won to supply Cunard with Premier lifejackets this year. An order for 7500 units has already been placed to equip Cunard’s new cruise liner Azura.
The Queen Elizabeth is 294m long and is designed to accommodate just over 2000 passengers. Named after the first Queen Elizabeth, which was launched in 1938, she is being fitted out in 1930’s art deco style with a bowling green and croquet lawn. There are 16 decks in total with 12 reserved for the passenger accommodation.
The vessel is being built by Fincantieri at their Monfalcone shipyard near Trieste and will be the third new ocean liner launched by Cunard in the past six years, joining sister ship Queen Victoria and Queen Mary 2. Her design has been modified from previous Vista-class vessels, meaning that she will be slightly larger at 92,000 gross tons, largely due to a more vertical stern. She will be the second largest Cunard ship ever built, after Queen Mary 2.
Cosalt’s Premier lifejacket has proved a great success in the cruise market because it is easy-to-don, comfortable to wear and takes up minimum stowage space on board ship. This makes it ideal for use on cruise ships where space is often at a premium.
Fully approved to MCA/UK SOLAS standards, the Premier features a single quick release buckle, high intensity SOLAS Grade reflective tape and a whistle with lanyard. It is designed for persons with little or no experience of wearing a lifejacket. The Premier can be fitted with a tamper proof light and is also available with a spray hood for extra protection.
Nick Dennison, Cosalt’s Sales Director, said he was delighted Cosalt was chosen to supply lifejackets to the new liner. “The contract confirms the ongoing popularity of the Premier lifejacket in the cruise market. We have a long-standing relationship with Cunard, which stretches back many years. We supplied the lifejackets for the Caronia in the 1970s and the Queen Elizabeth 2 in the late 1960s,” he added.
