The largest addition to the P&O Cruises fleet, Britannia, has set sail with its extensive glass elements protected from the harsh effects of the marine environment thanks to Ritec Marine Services, a subsidiary of Ritec International Ltd...

The £473m ship, launched by the Queen recently, is the latest in a long list of cruise ships to be treated with the award-winning ClearShield Eco-System™ which upgrades the glass to ClearShield Eco-Glass™ that provides protection from sea spray and other corrosive elements.

A team of Ritec Applicators from the Netherlands travelled to Italy to treat over 14,700 square metres of glass on board Britannia. This included all the windows, sliding doors, cabin glass and other exterior glass which all needs to maintain a clean, sparkling appearance and optimal vision for greater viewing pleasure. In addition, ClearShield® has been used to keep the ship’s bridge glass clean whilst at sea which is vital for safety, especially in inclement weather and high sea states.

Moisture, Alkalinity and Dirt (MAD) can easily cause marine glass, exterior or interior, to become Problem Glass. Unless glass is protected against MAD, it can easily break these promises before, during or after installation – with serious consequences for all. ClearShield's proven formulation chemically bonds with the glass and becomes an integral part of the surface. Working like ‘non-stick’ cookware, ClearShield® creates a durable and transparent barrier, which is chemically inert, non-hazardous and UV stable, resulting in ClearShield Eco-Glass™. In addition, unlike many other Glass Surface Treatments (GSTs) it will not peel, crack or flake.

Her Majesty the Queen christened the ship in Southampton and praised its sophistication, modern design and use of glass. This is not the company’s first Royal seal of approval, Ritec also recently treated the Royal Princess Cruise liner and previously won the Prince of Wales Award for Innovation.

Head of Ritec Marine Services in Holland, Stefan Roelands, comments: "We are proud to have firmly established Ritec Marine Services as a key partner of P&O Cruises for glass surface treatments. We continue to grow our business with this prestigious customer and this magnificent project continues to reinforce the relationship between the two companies. We now look forward to working with P&O Cruises on other projects where we can offer pioneering treatments for the renovation, protection and maintenance of glass.”