CONSTRUCTION work on Southampton’s next Cunard ship, Queen Elizabeth, the second largest vessel the company has ever built, is now under way in Italy.

This comes against the background of major changes within the top executive structure of Carnival UK, the parent company of Cunard, at its headquarters in Southampton.

Carol Marlow, previously president and managing director of Cunard, has become managing director of P&O Cruises while Peter Shanks, chief commercial officer of Carnival UK, moves to her former role as well as retaining his post as UK director of Princess Cruises.

Nigel Esdale, up to now P&O Cruises’ managing director, has the new position of Carnival UK’s commercial director and Nick Lighton, in addition to continuing as managing director of Ocean Village, takes up another new role of fleet product and services director.

John Marden, previously fleet services director, has been appointed director of corporate and international affairs, and David Strawford, formerly head of technical services, joins the board as marine and technical director.

All executives have taken up their new positions in Carnival UK with immediate effect.

One of Carol Marlow’s last official functions as Cunard president was to attend the keel laying ceremony for Queen Elizabeth.

Queen Elizabeth’s keel was the third Cunard has laid in the space of seven years which has seen the introduction of Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria into service at Southampton. Queen Elizabeth will depart on her maiden voyage on Tuesday, October 12, 2010, a cruise which sold out in a record-breaking 29 minutes 14 seconds in April earlier this year.