Southampton's rapidly growing reputation as the UK's centre of

excellence in the maritime industry has been boosted even further by two highly prestigious contracts.

In the face of stiff domestic and overseas competition, International Interiors from Marchwood and city-based Trimline clinched vital deals worth millions of pounds from leading shipping lines.

These latest successes for the city underlines the importance of this sector to Southampton, generating huge sums of money for the area's economy and safeguarding large numbers of jobs across the region.

Today, almost every aspect of Great Britain's booming cruising industry is centred in and around Southampton, with many shore-side operations based in the port.

City companies are especially strong when it comes to meeting the rigorous design standards and deadlines that shipping lines now demand from outfitters during the refits of their vessels.

About 120 craftsmen, employed by International Interiors, will help to transform the 19,089 ton former Crown Dynasty into Braemar, the third and latest ship, to join the Fred Olsen Cruise

Lines fleet.

The work, worth about £1.4m, is being carried out during a five-week refit period at the Blohm and Voss shipyard in Hamburg, Germany.

Martin Shears, International Interiors' contracts director, said: "We have worked extensively with Fred Olsen before and the shipping line has faith in us that we are able to deliver within a short time scale. This contract is good for us and, of course, it is good for Southampton as a whole."

The work now underway incorporates a complete redesign and refurbishment of all public rooms, upgrading of every cabin, and the installation of new soft furnishings throughout the whole ship.

Braemar will be in Southampton for the first time in September and already her first voyage from the docks has been sold out.

Under the other important contract, long established family business Trimline, based in Northam, Southampton, has just completed a high profile revamp of the ultra-exclusive cruise ship, Hebridean Spirit, before it officially enters service next month.

The company, Hebridean Island Cruises, which will operate the vessel together with its other ship, Hebridean Princess, charge passengers some of the highest rates in the whole cruise industry, so guests expect nothing but the best when its comes to onboard surroundings.

The ten-year-old 4,200-ton ship, previously sailing as Renaissance 6, has been given a complete face-lift, turning it into the style of a floating country house for just 78 guests in 49 staterooms.

The Trimline team spent ten weeks, working up to 12 hours a day converting the major public rooms to meet the shipping line's exacting style.

Hebridean Spirit made a brief showcase visit to Poole, before officially entering service.