Interior Refit for Cunard's Queen Victoria
McCue Crafted Fit secured a repeat order from Cunard to refit the shops and art gallery on board its luxury liner, Queen Victoria. This follows the remastering of aspects of the Queen Mary 2 (QM2) in Hamburg, Germany in 2016. The £34 million ($43 million) refit comprises of an upgraded and increased choice of staterooms, new Britannia Club dining, a broader and more distinct bar offering, a transformed sun deck, enhanced retail areas and relocated new larger art gallery. On the May 5…
GE Completes Queen Mary 2 Upgrade
GE’s Marine Solutions recently provided an extensive upgrade service to one of the world’s most famous ocean liners, the Queen Mary 2 (QM2). The upgrade service with new technology supplied by GE was completed in just 18 days. Twelve years after equipping the QM2 with original propulsion motors, GE was chosen to carry out multiple crucial upgrade activities on Carnival’s flagship liner, for example: a controls upgrade, the replacement of oil distribution boxes on steerable pods, modification of harmonic filters and general maintenance on the propulsion plant.
Atlantic Pacific Marine Reports Unprecedented Growth
Unprecedented growth for Atlantic Pacific Marine, one of the world’s fast growing marine and offshore engineering services companies, has resulted in it having to open a new UK HQ. In just three years since its 2010 set-up, the company has seen turnover soar to over £4million, with net profits consistently over 25%. Turnover to-date for 2013 is £4.2 million, against a net profit of £1.3million. Atlantic Pacific Marine’s customers include Carnival Cruises, Princess Cruises,P&O,Wartsila, Total Oil and NOV.
QM2 Visit Boosts UAE as Cruise Ship Destination
Cunard cruise ship 'Queen Mary 2', is set to make its maiden call in the capital on 29th January. Queen Mary 2’s stop in Abu Dhabi is part of her 2013 World Voyage – a 106-day voyage from Southampton in the UK which will take in five continents – and is considered a significant boost to the UAE capital as it increasingly becomes an established global cruise destination. Officials believe the visit will boost Abu Dhabi’s profile as it seeks to receive 180,000 cruise passengers in the current cruise season.
Catastrophic Equipment Failures of VFD and HF Systems
Commercial and military users of electric propulsion systems have experienced failures of the variable frequency drive (VFD) and harmonic filter (HF) systems because the system design, including the VFD, did not have adequate self-monitoring and protection. On a ship, a variable-frequency drive (VFD) can be used to control the speed and direction of rotational motors, such as pumps, propellers and azipod systems. In some cases, these failures have resulted in catastrophic equipment failures causing arcing, fire and explosions of capacitors. In September of 2010, the Cunard Carnival cruise ship RMS Queen Mary 2 (QM2) was underway in the Mediterranean when an explosion occurred in the aft main switchboard room resulting from the failure of one of 12 capacitors in a harmonic filter…
Queen Mary 2 Undocking
After having been docked for 20 days in dry dock ELBE 17 of Blohm + Voss Repair, a company of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, the Queen Mary 2 is planned to be undocked on November 13, 2008 as scheduled. The longest ocean liner worldwide is to be undocked with the morning high tide at 3:30 a.m.* (high tide: 4:01 a.m.) to leave for Southampton to start the next transatlantic voyage to New York on November 15, at 5 p.m. After the period at the Hamburg shipyard Blohm + Voss Repair, the Queen Mary 2 will be fit for service for another five years.
Cunard’s New Sub Website is Fit for A “Queen”
Cunard Line has just launched a completely new sub-website dedicated to its magnificent Queen Mary 2, the world's largest, longest, tallest, widest and – at $780 million – the most expensive passenger liner ever built. The site features the latest in navigational tools and substantially new interactive content; it is now possible to take a tour of the vessel that won't even be launched until January 2004. The site, which has been completely redesigned and enhanced, features virtual imagery that enables users to tour the grand liner, get a panoramic view of public rooms and cabins and even watch a movie of the grand vessel’s construction milestones.
QM2 Passes Sea Trials
Cunard Line's flagship Queen Mary 2 returned from the sea after having completed her sea trials with flying colours. The largest, longest, tallest, widest, and at - $780-million - the most expensive passenger liner ever built underwent four days of rigorous testing of her power, manoeuvrability and vibration levels off the Brittany coast. The successful trials put QM2 right on schedule for her January 12 Maiden Voyage from Southampton, England, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. According to Captain Ronald Warwick…
Queen to Name QM2
Cunard is delighted to confirm that Her Majesty The Queen will name the company's new flagship Queen Mary 2 at a ceremony to take place in Southampton, England, on Thursday, January 8, 2004. Her Majesty will be accompanied by His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh. The launch will be a milestone in British maritime history and will be a major event of worldwide interest. According to Pamela Conover, president of Cunard Line: "This will be an historic occasion in the true sense of the word. The Queen honoured Cunard by launching our current flagship QE2 in 1967, and we are delighted Her Majesty has agreed to do the same for our next transatlantic liner, Queen Mary 2.
Charities to Benefit from QM2
Cunard will sponsor charitable benefits in Southampton, England, and Fort Lauderdale in celebration of the January 12 Maiden Voyage ofQueen Mary 2, the largest ocean liner ever built. Among the beneficiaries are the U.K.-based Lord's Taverners and Miami City Ballet, New World Symphony and Winterfest, based in South Florida. With much anticipation, the round of charitable events will kick off Friday, January 9, with a gala night in Southampton for The Lord's Taverners, one of the United Kingdom's best-known charities with His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburghas their patron. Theiraim is to raise money for underprivileged children andprovide opportunities for young people…
QM2 Completes Final Sea Trials
Cunard Line's flagship Queen Mary 2 returned from the sea for the second time on Tuesday having successfully completed her final series of sea trials off the Brittany coast. QM2 is the largest, longest, tallest, widest, and at - $780-million - the most expensive liner ever built. The successful trials, where the ship consistently exceeded 30 knots, put her right on schedule for her January 12 maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to Fort Lauderdale. During the sea trials, QM2 underwent performance tests that consisted of three runs over a 10-mile-long course. At various points, the ship was stabilised at speed during which very accurate measurements were taken to establish an average speed.
QM2 Accident Claims 15 Lives
French prosecutors have begun investigating Saturday’s shipyard accident on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 that has left 15 dead and at least 32 injured after a gangway collapsed in Saint Nazaire in France. It is said that an inquiry will examine the cause of the gangway that collapsed when families of the ship workers were visiting the vessel. The collapse of the walkway caused victims to fall some 80 feet to the concrete of the drydock. Reports are indicating that the temporary 30-ft. walkway connecting the quayside of the ship was constructed by the French firm, Endel.
Editorial: QM2 Set for Historic Maiden Voyage
The long history of Cunard Line is filled with momentous occasions and it would be difficult to imagine a company with a greater number of legendary ocean liners to call its own. The early "Cunarders" launched the world's first regularly scheduled transatlantic passenger service in the 1840's. The historic "Queens" helped define luxury ocean travel in the 20th century. For almost two hundred years, Cunard has been in the forefront of maritime engineering and innovative technology. But there may be no greater event in Cunard's illustrious history than the arrival, in 2004, of Queen Mary 2. The maiden voyage of Queen Mary 2 in January is the beginning of an entirely new era for Cunard Line…
Feature: Queen Mary 2 New Technology Melded to the North Atlantic Tradition
Confounding the skeptics who said the 70,300-gt Queen Elizabeth 2 would be the last transatlantic liner ever built, the 150,000-gt Queen Mary 2 is set to make her service debut in January 2004, signifying a $780-million investment in a luxury passenger ship structurally engineered for the North Atlantic. Destined to uphold and revitalize the Cunard liner tradition, the 30-knot QM2 will break new ground in passenger ship technology, while incorporating lessons learned with the 1969-commissioned QE2. The challenge of fulfilling an extremely tough schedule in a notoriously harsh environment, and of meeting rising customer expectations as to service quality, comfort and reliability in all conditions, permeates every aspect of the technical design.
QM2 Delivered
Cunard officially took delivery today of Queen Mary 2 -- the largest (151,400 tons), longest (1,132 feet/345 metres), tallest (236 feet/72 metres), widest (135 feet/41 metres) and most expensive ($800 million) ocean liner ever built. Queen Mary 2 is the first true transatlantic liner to have been built since the line's legendary Queen Elizabeth 2 entered service in May 1969. The historic ceremony at the Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard here included the symbolic changing of the flag where the Blue ensign and the Cunard house flag -- a gold lion rampant on a red background -- were raised.
Master of QM2 Named Commodore
Captain Ronald Warwick, master of Cunard Line's new Queen Mary 2, has been awarded the rank of commodore, the highest position a cruise line can bestow on one of its captains. The announcement was made December 26, 2003, as Queen Mary 2 was welcomed to Southampton - her British home port - for the very first time. "I am pleased to make this appointment, which recognises Ron Warwick's long and distinguished career with this great company," said Pamela Conover, Cunard's president and chief operating officer. Queen Mary 2 is the first ocean liner to be built in over three decades. The 2,620-passenger vessel is the largest (151,400 tons), longest (1,132 feet/345 metres), tallest (236 feet/72 metres), widest (135 feet/41 metres) and most expensive ($800 million) passenger ship ever built.
QM2 Gets Warm Reception
(Photo Credit: Richard Grable) The world's largest cruise ship, Queen Mary 2, pictured arriving January 26 in Fort Lauderdale, FL.
QM2 Receives Certificate of Comliance
A boat crew from Coast Guard Station Fort Lauderdale sits in the red, white and blue mist announcing the arrival of the World's newest and largest ocean liner, Queen Mary 2, to her first continental U.S. visit Jan. 26. The Coast Guard, along with several local, state and federal law enforcement agencies are providing security for the QM2 and the port during her high-profile visit. U.S. Coast Guard photo by PA3 Sandra Bartlett. The cruise ship Queen Mary 2 received a Coast Guard Certificate of Compliance yesterday following a thorough inspection by U.S.
Product Focus
Datamodul´s daughter-company, CONRAC GmbH was awarded by Kelvin Hughes for the delivery of Type Approved TFT Displays in their new and future IBS Programs. Next to the superior performance and quality aspects, one of the main reasons for this decision was, the high level of own development integrated in the concerned TFT monitors. The result can be recognized in the Queen Mary 2 bridge. All TFT displays are delivered in an OEM Chassis-Only version, ready for integration in the special design of the bridge. During the late 1990's Kelvin Hughes realized that the availability of cathode ray tubes (CRTs) for use in bridge navigation displays, such as Radar and ECDIS, was becoming limited.
Feature: Losing Contact ... Not an Option
Maritime communications is an estimated $1 billion industry, encompassing ship operators, merchant fleets, governments and private yacht owners. There is arguably no more quickly evolving technical sector in the maritime market than the satellite communications niche. Safety, operational efficiency and quality of life onboard vessels of all type and size today more than ever depends on clear, reliable and cost effective satellite communication services and products. The following reports on recent advances from major service, product and system suppliers. The year started with news that Connexion by Boeing, a business unit of The Boeing Company, would roll-out its high speed satellite broadband capability for the maritime industry.
QM2 to Arrive in NYC
When QE2 arrives in New York on 25 April and berths next to Queen Mary 2 it will be the first time since March 1940 that two Cunard Queens have berthed together in the port. The send-off will include fireworks as both vessels anchor off the Statue of Liberty. During the six-day crossing both vessels will remain within sight of each other – another event not witnessed since September 1967. Both ships will arrive in their home port of Southampton on 1 May. QE2 then heads off to…
IMO Waves the Flag about Shipping
It is time to promote the image of shipping, IMO Secretary-General Mr. Efthimios Mitropoulos said on Monday (21 June), as he received on behalf of IMO the gift of a replica model of the Queen Mary 2 cruise ship from the International Council of Cruise Lines and their members Cunard and Carnival Cruise Lines. Referring to the Queen Mary 2 as a "a symbol for all that is excellent in shipping today", Mr. Mr. "I, therefore, believe that the time has come for us to work together, more systematically than ever before, to make politicians and the public aware of the credit shipping rightly deserves," Mr. Mitropoulos said. The model ship was presented by Ms. Pam Conover, President and CEO of Cunard Line Ltd. Also speaking at the ceremony were Mr.
Queen Mary 2 Commences Production With First Steel Cut
Pamela Conover, Cunard Line's president and COO, will make history today when she presses the button to start the cutting of the first steel for Queen Mary 2 - the largest, longest, widest, tallest and most expensive passenger ship ever. Queen Mary 2, the first liner to be built in over three decades, will enter service in January 2004 and will be the fastest passenger ship built since QE2 entered service in 1969. Constructed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique in Saint Nazaire, France, birthplace of such famous liners as Normandie, France (now Norway) and Ile de France, the 150,000-ton QM2 is destined to become the benchmark by which all other passenger ships will be judged.