Peterhead, Aberdeen, Scotland: Strachans, a distributor of food and chandlery supplies to the offshore and marine industry, is piloting a new container capable of maintaining product integrity for up to four days, reports MarineLink.com.
The Strachans’ icebox uses a eutectic system where eutectic beams full of gel are connected to a power supply that charges them down to temperatures far lower than the product before they leave the ship supplier’s warehouse. The eutectic beams release their energy over a long period of time, in turn maintaining the integrity of the product.
Twelve units have performed without incident in the North Sea since October 2012. Difficult weather conditions and the risk of delay to offshore supplies combined with complex vessel schedules are factors that have sparked Strachans’ drive to explore alternative container refrigeration methods for temperature-sensitive products. Another factor is the inconsistency of power supplies to charge refrigerated containers: Strachans’ icebox negates the need for a power supply on board. Global
Offshore managing director, James Strachans said: “Our new icebox provides a credible alternative to current insulated containers that are widely used in the market and raises the standard of product integrity – an issue that will become ever more important in future as greater regulation of the offshore supply chain is inevitable.”
