Cruise, Ships, Boats

The cruise line industry attracts millions of visitors every year, coming from all over the world. Elderly travellers and other passengers with health problems are at increased risk of complications of infection (Miller, 2000).

Every year the number of outbreaks due to infectious diseases, such as norovirus or influenza increase. In 2002 alone the CDC (2002) reported 21 outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis on cruise ships with foreign itineraries sailing into U.S. ports.

An investigation by Miller and associates (2000) found that cruise ships are very much like other high risk health care settings (such as nursing homes) where high risk individuals are more often exposed to infectious diseases. Activities such as gambling, dining, movies, and tours help promote the spread of infectious diseases.

Boats often develop strong fish odors, bacterial, mold, and other odors. Active Oxygen is excellent for removing and controlling these odors. Cruise ship companies can use Active Oxygen generators for room decontamination and odor removal just as hotels and motels.

Yacht bilge odor can easily be eliminated through the judicious application of very small amounts of Active Oxygen. Odors from cooking, such as garlic, fish, cabbage and numerous other "Galley odors" can easily penetrate to all areas of a yacht. Active Oxygen has been applied to numerous air handlers that serve galley areas. An air conditioner "Dirty Sock Syndrome," and other musky odors, including mold and mildew, can be totally eliminated. A recent installation for mold and mildew in a large yacht involved adding a small Active Oxygen generator to the yacht's make-up air handlers. The air was very effectively "polished" and the problem eliminated to the complete satisfaction of the owner. Furthermore, bacteria and viruses dispersed in an aerosol have been shown to be inactivated by Active Oxygen in concentrations as low as 0.01 PPM (Parts Per Million) in free air.

 The fact that Active Oxygen can do all of the above jobs and not leave other unwanted odors and perhaps harmful by-products in its wake, make Active Oxygen and ozonation the only truly "Environmentally Friendly odor control and purification method and system available today. Active Oxygen technology is not new by any means as is obvious from the start of this article. However, state-of-the-art generation and delivery systems available make this old technology readily and handily available to everyone for many and varied uses. That is especially in the luxury yacht market as has been amply demonstrated by the number of systems installed and operating to the owner's, captain's and crew's satisfaction.