Lifejackets fit for a Queen
24 December 2007
SAFETY was a top priority when Cunard built its latest luxury liner - so it turned to Europe's leading marine safety company to supply its lifejackets.
More than 4,000 Cosalt Premier lifejackets set sail with the Queen Victoria on its maiden voyage to northern Europe.
The inherently buoyant Cosalt Premier lifejackets are noted for being particularly easy to don and are sufficiently compact to provide easy storage.
These lifejackets are carried on ferries, cruise ships, cargo vessels and fishing boats across the world.
Fully certified by the UK Marine and Coastguard Agency (MCA), Lloyds Register and meeting ISO Solas Resolution A(689)17, the Premier is also approved in Finland, Sweden, Romania, Norway, Japan, Netherlands, China and Germany.
Cosalt Managing Director Winston Phillips said: "The Premier lifejackets incorporate the very latest in design techniques and in material and floatation technology.
"We have been involved in the design and development of safety equipment since the fishing industry first began to develop and well over a century of expertise goes into products like these."
Mr Phillips and other senior Cosalt management were guests of Cunard at the Queen Victoria's naming ceremony, performed by the Duchess of Cornwall.
"I was very proud to be representing Cosalt at what was a very prestigious naming ceremony," Mr Phillips said.
"We were given a tour of the vessel and some of the state rooms and suites were open to the public to view. I opened a wardrobe in one. I'm pleased to say there were no skeletons - just one of our Premier lifejackets!"
The latest addition to the Cunard fleet, costing £300m, Queen Victoria is significantly smaller that her elder sister Queen Mary, at only 90,000 gross tonnes, but includes an 830-seat cinema and "boxes" in her theatre.
Everything about the Victoria is the highest quality - and that includes its safety equipment. Her inherently buoyant lifejackets were developed and supplied by Cosalt, the global marine safety company based in Fish Dock Road.
Mr Phillips said: "The Queen Victoria continues the revival of the Cunard brand.
"My own personal view is the Queen Victoria has an even better finish than the Queen Mary.
"Cunard were keen to produce something that brought back the past age of real luxury cruising and I think the use of light, wood paneling and art deco furnishing and finishing has created something special.
"It was a spectacular naming ceremony and we are proud to play our part in these vessels."
The Grimsby company also supplies other Carnival Group brands with their lifejackets, including Princess Cruises, Carnival UK and the Ocean Village fleet.
They were used recently when the MS Explorer hit an iceberg traveling through the Antarctic and sank. Eight-six passengers and 66 crew abandoned the stricken vessel in their Cosalt lifejackets as she keeled over in icy waters.
Editor's note
For more information contact Cosalt's marketing and communications manager Sarah Avery on 01472 504288 or email Sarah.Avery@Cosalt.co.uk