Problems in the Cruise Ship Industry
Norwalk virus (norovirus) causes outbreaks of gastrointestinal illness among
thousands of cruise ship passengers annually. When an outbreak occurs, the
cost per infected passenger is thousands of dollars, excluding losses due
to decreased ship crew productivity and on board revenues, as well as a reduction
of quality in cruise ship services.
Use of Standard Cleaners
The present technology used by the cruise ship industry employs a
manual cleaning process in conjunction with disinfecting liquids
such as accelerated H2O2. This consists of a physical cleaning
process that is labour intensive, low-tech and often unreliable
because it is not uniform in its application. The increasing frequency
of infectious disease outbreaks requires an innovative solution
to the problem.
The Solution: ViroForce 1000
The ViroForce 1000 is a mobile automated disinfecting device using
ozone gas made from ambient air. Since it is a gas, it sanitizes
both soft and hard surfaces and inaccessible areas. It has a 30
minute turnaround time per average-sized room and runs off a cruise
ship power supply of 11 amps. After treatment, the room can be
safely re-occupied with no adverse effects on materials or occupants.
ViroForce kills the norovirus in passenger / crew cabins as well
as in public areas. Tests resulted in a 99.9% reduction of
noro and influenza viruses in a typical ship cabin.
The ViroForce technology presents the cruise ship industry with
an opportunity to effect both real and opportunity cost savings.
With only four major cruise ship companies worldwide, three based
in North America, our strategy is to sell direct or through an OEM
arrangement that has synergies with the health care market segment.
ViroForce has a distribution and technology collaboration agreement
with Holland America’s agent, Trauma Scene Cleanup Ltd., a
member of the US Bio Recovery Association.
Cruise Ship Brochure
To view our brochure and the additional information it provides, please
download it here.
Scientific Research Papers for the Cruise Ship Industry
We provide these research papers for your review.
Inactivation of Norovirus by ozone gas in conditions relevant to
healthcare.
Published in the Journal of Hospital Infection, 2007
Prepared by J. B. Hudson, M. Sharma and M. Petric
Summary: We evaluated the ability of ozone gas to inactivate Norovirus and its
animal surrogate feline calicivirus (FCV) in dried samples placed at various
locations within a hotel room, a cruise liner cabin and an office.
finalMS.pdf
Evaluation of the Review of Report on Evaluation of Gaseous
Ozone as an Efficient Virucidal Agent in Conditions Relevant to
Cruise Liners and Health Care Facilities
By Dr. Martin Petric, Ph.D, FCCM
Dr Petric Validation of Ozone.pdf
Epidemiology of Gastroenteritis on Cruise Ships,
2001–2004
By the Vessel Sanitation Program Environmental Health Inspection
Team
Elaine H. Cramer, MD, MPH; Curtis J. Blanton, MS; Lenee H. Blanton,
MPH; George H. Vaughan, Jr., MPH; Cheryl A. Bopp, MS; David L. Forney;
Gastroenteritis on Cruise Ships.pdf
Cruise Ship Tests, May 2006
Report prepared by Genesis Engineering Inc.
ViroForce Cruise Ship Tests May 2006.pdf
ViroForce Ozone Project: Preliminary Report of Tests Conducted
in Cruise Liner Cabin, May 2006
Report prepared by Dr. James B. Hudson, ViroForce Systems Inc.
ViroForce Cruise Ship Test.pdf
Evaluation of Gaseous Ozone as an Effective Virucidal Agent
in Conditions Relevant to Cruise Liners and Health Care Facilities
Report prepared by Dr. James B. Hudson & Dr. Manju Sharma,
ViroForce Systems Inc.
Ozone Use-Health Care+Cruise Ships.pdf |
