The Requirement
A total refurbishment of P&O Cruises Australia's cruise ship Pacific Dawn was undertaken by Blu Marine, the component parts being manufactured in the UK. The theme was teak, with teak pool decking and a number of features for which wood would be the ideal construction material from a visual point of view. These included cappings around the swimming pool edge, feature screens, posts and beams supporting a mezzanine level around the pool area. Conditions on board a ship mean that materials used need to have a high level of corrosion resistance and to be light yet very strong. Of even greater importance, materials used need to have a very low combustion rate in the event of fire. It was clear that wood could not be used structurally as it did not satisfy any of these requirements
