The 150,000grt vessel measures 1,132ft in length and would stand higher than the Eiffel Tower in the unlikely event of being tipped on its stern. At 236ft 2in (72m) from keel to funnel, the £550m liner accommodates passengers on 14 of its 17 decks. An environmentally friendly propulsion system sees four 16 cylinder Wartsila marine diesel 'enviroengines' and two General Electric LM2500+ gas turbines driving four mermaid pods built by Rolls Royce owned Kamewa and Alstom Power Motors. The forward two pods are fixed while the aft two turn through 360º to steer and manoeuvre the ship.

Each 250 tonne pod generates 21.5MW for a total propulsion power of 86MW which propels Queen Mary 2 at speeds of up to 30 knots.

Among the firsts for QM2 , the ship's dynamic positioning system has been linked directly to a PC-based ship manoeuvring simulator for on board DP and ship specific manoeuvring training.

British Maritime Technology subsidiary BMT SeaTech Ltd, in collaboration with Alstom, has successfully linked its Rembrandt simulator to Alstom's A-series DP system. The resulting DP simulator combines ship-specific DP algorithms and console from Alstom with the Rembrandt mathematical model and worldwide electronic charting and 3D visuals. The simulator is installed on the QM2 's bridge for the ship's Master and Officers to use in either a stand-alone mode (using individual thrusters and pod controls) or with the Alstom DP system to provide training in ship handling, manoeuvring and DP operation.

Some 250 tonnes of paint cover 550,000m 2of surface on QM2 .History repeated itself in that Henry Clark and Son, which supplied 'bottom compositions' for the first Queen Mary before it sailed in 1936, became part of the Jotun Group in 1974 which via Jotun France SA has supplied exterior paint and coatings for the new vessel. The order for QM2 extended beyond bottom coatings to also include protection for the topsides, superstructures and weather decks. Internal tanks with capacities of 420,000m 3are coated with solvent-free products from International Marine Coatings.

For ABP Port of Southampton, the arrival of QM2 represents the extension of a long relationship as home port for the Cunard Line. A recently completed £2m refurbishment of the Queen Elizabeth II Cruise Terminal extends that relationship until at least 2009. ABP invested some £10m in Southampton's cruise facilities last year as a response to cruise calls more than doubling since 1997.

The Queen Elizabeth II Cruise Terminal's modernisation has given it a 50% boost in handling capacity for processing the 2,620 passengers who will occupy the vessel's 1,310 cabins. Key works in the programme included a new overhead gangway, enhanced baggage handling facilities and a refurbished waiting lounge.

MJ Information No: 19001