MJM Bringing a Breath of Fresh Air to the Marine Industry

Back to news

October 12th, 2021

NORTHERN Ireland (NI) based MJM Marine, specialist in cruise ship refurbishment and interior outfitting, has partnered with another NI based company Ilimex to look at complementary measures to assist in the wellbeing of passengers and crew with the introduction of a new piece of technology proven to uniquely kill viruses and bacteria, as well as improving air quality in the environment in which it is installed.

The Illimex UV-C Air Sterilisers, which come in various sizes depending on proposed use, use a combination of sterilisation technologies to continuously eliminate 99.9999% of airborne pathogens, including Coronavirus, on the first pass through the unit. The Illimex units also remove dangerous pollutants from its immediate environment including VOCs, formaldehydes, benzene, nitrogen dioxide, mould spores, smoke, particulate matter and much more. This is done by employing wide band extra long-life UV sources including a high efficiency power source to reduce operating costs, titanium dioxide photocatalytic filtration, silver-ion doped HEPA 13 filtering to PM1 (antibacterial filter) and activated carbon.

There are six products developed by Ilimex which come in various sizes; from the Ilimex 400 to a smaller piece of technology labelled the Ilimex 70 which is suitable for positioning over tables in cafes and other hospitality environments. This means that all areas of a cruise ship can be covered by multiple devices from cabin areas to crew areas and more. The devices can be integrated into existing spaces, plug and play, without imposing on the aesthetics of the interior.

Testing

Environmental Efficiency Consultants were contacted by Ulster University in conjunction with Ilimex to conduct an Air Quality Assessment at a test location to test air purification efficiency of an Ilimex sterilisation unit, the UV-C Air Steriliser.

The test location selected was the crew canteen onboard the Irish Ferries Ship, ‘Ulysses’.  The test area included a food service area, a self-service area, a seating area with tables for the consumption of food and drink and a lounge area. During the three-week assessment period in this heavy use area, various chemical, physical and microbiological parameters were measured under different scenarios.  The test results proving the removal of pathogens were extremely favourable.

Gary Annett, CEO, MJM Marine said, “We are delighted to have played our part in the promotion of this innovative technology for use in the cruise and ferry industry. It is technological innovations such as this, that will be a complementary measure to the already implemented procedures by our cruise line partners to ensure cruise passengers and crew have the same cruising experience that they have enjoyed in the past. With our interior outfitting expertise and Ilimex’s technological advances, we are able to bring this technology directly to our clients ensuring seamless integration with the existing interiors.”

Ilimex CEO Gerry Corrigan said, “Partnering with MJM has enabled us to introduce our products to the marine industry and carry out a period of testing in that environment under the watchful eye of independent academics from Ulster University. Through the success of this trial, MJM are able to make this air sterilisation technology available to their clients in the marine industry, helping everyone to make a return to safe cruising.”

MJM Marine is a leading international specialist in cruise ship refurbishment with over 38 years’ experience, Ilimex is a manufacturer of air sterilisation systems. Both companies are based in Northern Ireland.