New additions to the Bolideck® range of ship deck covering solutions from Bolidt are illuminating design thinking across the cruise ship and superyacht sectors, with a first delivery of Bolideck® LED leading to follow up orders from several owners.

Bolideck® LED is the latest variation of a decking solution which has established itself as the cruise industry market leader. Featuring integral LED lighting, the unique product has made a big impression after its first installation onboard the 2,894-passsenger capacity TUI Cruises vessel Mein Schiff 2.

Bolideck® LED has been deployed to striking effect in one bar and in a number of passenger access areas on Mein Schiff 2. It is also part of a stunning ‘floor diamonds’ artwork on the ship, developed in partnership with ICArt and design studio SOFTlab.

Installation of the novel artwork floor required close cooperation between the shipyard, Meyer Turku, Bolidt and SPT Finland, while the vessel was under construction at the Finnish yard. The project’s success depended on the fitting of the LED lighting with the right sequencing and at the optimum time in the production process to enable Bolidt to complete the striking flush decking finish.

“Feedback from passengers and crew on Mein Schiff 2 has been very positive,” says Jacco van Overbeek, Director, Maritime Division, Bolidt. “Following on from this initial installation, Bolideck® LED has attracted a lot of interest within the market and has been specified for several additional cruise vessel projects, with installations due to take place over the coming year or so.”

Bolideck® LED offers designers a high degree of flexibility as it is available in a wide range of different formats. This allows the client to integrate LED lighting within a larger deck space or deck design, or alternatively to create specific functional features, in sports courts or exits for example. Bolideck® LED also allows deck lighting to be programmed to form different patterns, or to vary the intensity of individual LEDs. This opens up almost endless possibilities for designers to be creative in terms of shape, colour palette and mood. Bolideck® LED lighting can also be made invisible when turned off.

“With any number of lighting patterns possible, Bolideck® LED brings additional freedom of expression for cruise ship interior designers. But it could also be used as a means to enhance safety,” adds van Overbeek. “As with all our products the important thing is that it can be seamlessly integrated with other systems onboard.”

Along with Bolideck® LED, Mein Schiff 2 features over 10,000m² of Bolidt products onboard, continuing the company’s close relationship with TUI Cruises as it expands and enhances its fleet. Other products used include Bolideck® Future Teak, Bolideck® Select Soft and Bolideck® Select Hard.

Bolideck® LED was developed in-house at the company’s research and development centre, which has a long-standing reputation for innovation and creativity. Van Overbeek concludes, “In these uncertain times we need innovation more than ever before and, in this regard, Bolidt has a unique track record that will help it and its partners in the maritime sector find a way forward.”