UK metal bending expert, Barnshaws Sections Benders, has supported two marine projects by providing precision-curved, rectangular hollow section (RHS) to support contractor Leisure Structures. The work was part of the recent interior refurbishments of the Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Millennium cruise liners. Barnshaws delivered a tonne of precision-curved stainless steel to create two modern, curved canopies forming the entrance to the ship’s restaurants.

Though more commonly associated with curved structural steel and aesthetic metal elements in the construction industry, Barnshaws is seeing growing involvement in the marine sector. Its wide range of specialist bending machines, its branches in the West Midlands, Manchester and Scotland, combined with its EXC class 4 for steel fabrication, means the business is well-placed to meet the volume and quality demands of the industry.

Leisure Structures reached out to Barnshaws to provide five stainless steel 200 x 100 mm RHS sections at six metres in length curved to a 8980 mm radius. Having worked with Barnshaws in the past, the contractor was well aware of the high-quality workmanship the business could provide. This was particularly important as the curved stainless-steel elements of the canopies would be visible to passengers on both vessels, so it was imperative that rolling and transportation left minimal marking on the steelwork. Each section was ‘protection wrapped’ during the metal bending process to ensure the best possible finish.

The Celebrity Summit and Celebrity Millennium were fitted out in Alaska and Singapore respectively. Both are sister ships of the Millennium-class, operated by Celebrity Cruises. The Summit’s two GE gas turbines allow the ship to reach 24 knots and carry 2,218 passengers; while the Millennium relies on the same turbines to carry 2,138 passengers while attaining the same top speed.

Stuart Anderson, Sales Manager at Barnshaws, said: “As a group, we have previously supplied high-quality fabrications to support the offshore industry. Supporting cruise liners was new to us, but we have employed our steel curving experience and extensive in-house capabilities to deliver these sections within the project timeframe.”