Blue Funnel and Solent & Wightline Cruises

Blue Funnel Cruises was formed in the 1950s to offer leisure cruises around the busy waters of Southampton docks. Passengers would sail from the old Royal Pier to view the many ocean liners visiting and based in the port.

Today Blue Funnel runs popular cruises throughout the year, taking thousands of passengers on day trips and themed evening cruises on board the Ocean Scene, Ashleigh R and Jenny R. The company also offers private hire and specialist charters for parties, weddings and corporate events.

Along with sister company Solent & Wightline Cruises, which was established in the 1970s, Blue Funnel is the largest pleasure boat company on the South Coast with 30 full time staff and another 30 part-time employees.

Together the two independent but linked businesses operate eight boats of different sizes from a RIB through to 500-seater cruisers.  Their sailing ground spans the Solent area east to west, taking in Portsmouth and Lymington, the Isle of Wight, the Rivers Hamble, Beaulieu, Itchen and Test, as well as the shorter Southampton Harbour cruises.  There are also less frequent sailings to Weymouth, Portland and Poole.

With passenger safety a top priority, Blue Funnel and Solent & Wightline Cruises have had a long-standing relationship with Cosalt's Southampton branch when it comes to sourcing marine safety equipment.

Explained Lee Rayment, who runs the two companies: "Our operations are governed by the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) regulations for health and safety.  So we must equip our vessels to a high standard. Cosalt has been a reliable supplier of ours for many years.

"It's a very competitive market but Cosalt deliver a good service at a good price.  Our boats never stop running so we need a supplier that can respond quickly to our requirements. Our refits are normally completed within a week so that means the liferafts have to be taken off the vessel and serviced and put back within a tight timeframe.

"We will sit down with the Cosalt team a few months before any work needs doing and discuss the schedule in detail.  They always respond positively and we have a great working relationship with them."

As well as liferaft hire, Blue Funnel and Solent & Wight Cruises also purchase other marine safety equipment from Cosalt including all their passenger lifejackets. The combined fleet has nearly 2000 Cosalt Premier inherently buoyant lifejackets onboard.

"It's a very competitive market but Cosalt deliver a good service at a good price."

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