Maritime industry welcomes another vaccine transportation innovation

L&R Kaltetechnick has unveiled a solution to help transport millions of COVID-19 vaccinations by allowing them to be held in ordinary industrial containers.

The company said its solution is based on a storage cell which can be installed in a container with corresponding redundant, multi-state refrigeration technology to guarantee safe storage for pharmaceuticals.

Two highly efficient refrigeration systems are installed in the 20′ or 40′ containers, each of which ensures a permanent temperature level below -70oC, according to the company.

The systems are air-cooled, so only one mains connection is required for operation, and they have a redundant design so that if one refrigerating circuit fails, the second circuit can automatically take over the cooling.

An optional emergency power supply or nitrogen emergency cooling (LN2) offers an even higher level of safety and interior equipment of the cryogenic storage is adapted to user requirements, the company said.

Pallet storage spaces are possible as well as shelves and/or drawers for different product sizes and the company said its highly effective insulation ensures a low heat transfer coefficient. This increases the temperature holding time and reduces the energy requirement.

Burkhard Rüßmann, general manager, L&R Kältetechnik, said: “When the vaccine production starts, the logistics must be available all the way up to the vaccination centres – not only in Germany. That’s why we have made sure that our production is scalable over a wide range.”

It is the latest innovation from the maritime industry in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, and one which could add to a possible post-pandemic boom in refrigerated shipping and the cold chain.

In early November, shortly after it was announced a vaccine had been successfully developed, MECOTEC Group launched a complete one-stop solution for the deep-freeze, transportation, storage and distribution of COVID-19 vaccines with a new mobile hybrid container.

The container will let shippers store vaccines directly at the manufacturer’s facility and make the supply chain more efficient.

Additionally, the World Economic Forum announced that 18 shipping and logistics companies, including A.P. Moller Maersk (Maersk), had signed a charter to work with national and regional governments to ensure vaccines are distributed effectively.

https://www.porttechnology.org/news/maritime-industry-welcomes-another-vaccine-transportation-innovation/