The organisation responsible for implementing the government’s maritime safety policy throughout the UK, the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA), has confirmed that it is investigating a BBC report into fire retardant problems within passenger cabins on board the Queen Mary 2 liner.

According to the BBC, its initial news report has led to tests showing that the material used in many of the liner’s cabins was too flammable and breached UK fire and safety rules.

Upon investigation, the problem was found to be centred upon the fire retardant qualities of a bathroom wall and under basin fascia unit within the QM2 passenger cabins. This is despite the materials used conforming to the relevant certification before the ship first entered service in January 2004.

The Queen Mary 2 liner, which cost £550m to build, was built by Chantiers D’Atlantique in France, is classed by Lloyd’s Register and flagged by the MCA onto the Red Ensign.

The MCA is continuing to work closely with Cunard and Lloyd’s Register to fully assess the situation and find “an efficient technical solution” which helps to ensure that passengers continue to travel in safety.

However, the MCA has stressed that the material under consideration is in a “normally low-risk” wet area of the cabin and that the liner already has “a highly efficient sprinkler system throughout its passenger accommodation”.

Cunard has agreed to immediately install locally sounding smoke alarms, increase the ship’s fire patrols and to begin an urgent programme of installing additional sprinklers in each of the 1,300 cabins on board the liner, to be completed within three months.

Mark Clark, of the MCA, said: “We take it very seriously when passenger safety is even in the least bit compromised but we’re very pleased with Cunard’s very prompt reaction and we think they’ve done particularly well to reassure passengers.”

The executive director of Carnival Corporation which owns Cunard, Peter Ratcliffe, said: “Passengers on Queen Mary 2 can travel confident in the knowledge that their safety and security is of paramount importance to us at all times. We appreciate the assistance of the MCA in helping us to deal with this issue in a prompt and expeditious manner.” Details: mca.gov.uk or www.cunard.co.uk