Healthy Climate On Board Passenger Ships Imtech Marine Starts Innovative Hygiene Management System

Air conditioning systems require regular maintenance. On ships which frequently travel around in varying different climatic zones, the air conditioning systems are subject to particular strain, which makes constant inspections all the more important. After all, dirty air conditioning equipment not only increases the resistance of heat exchangers and therefore the amount of energy consumed – it can also lead to the outbreak of illnesses on board by carrying bacteria which are hazardous to health. However, maintenance of the air conditioning system rarely gets the priority it really needs if health risks are to be eliminated.

To enable preventative action to be taken against possible health risks to passengers and the crew and against negative impacts on energy consumption, Imtech Marine in partnership with the AIR SOLUTION group now offers a new solution for the shipbuilding industry. This allows a consistently high standard of hygiene to be maintained in the air conditioning system on board without the need for extensive constructional work.

It is based on the use of the active agent L.O.G. 4, which is purely organic and therefore causes no undesirable side effects. Since it is natural in terms of composition, L.O.G. 4 can be used anywhere without any limitations. L.O.G. 4 has been successfully used for many years now in the food industry, where it is used in production to reduce germ levels in the ambient air. A comparison of airborne germ measurements before and after the application of active agent L.O.G. 4 shows an immense improvement in respect of germ formation (see chart).

Germ reduction is the starting point of the Imtech Marine hygiene management concept. The first thing the technicians at Imtech Marine, who are certified in accordance with VDI 6022, do is to carry out microbiological and hygiene status analyses on board. From the collected data they then develop recommendations in relation to optimization and set out the measures that could be taken. The final building block is the implementation of an integrated solution, the development of a hygiene management concept with the highest possible standard of hygiene for the specific ship concerned. This means that compliance with VDI 6022 and VDI 6032 guidelines is combined together with active preventative health care in a single complete system.

The benefits of an air conditioning system which is flawless in terms of hygiene are obvious: permanently healthy ambient air without any disturbing odors and noises, along with a pleasant freshness in every room for the greater well-being and effectiveness of passengers and crew alike.