Fresh Provisions, the Whole Voyage.
On a long passage, the freshest fruit and vegetables typically last only about two weeks — then come waste, a thin galley menu and unscheduled resupply. JIMCO's MAC500s UV-C air purifier changes that. Mounted in the cold room, it strips out the ethylene gas that drives ripening and cuts airborne bacteria, mould and odour — keeping provisions fresh roughly a week longer, with no chemicals and no filters. Proven for years aboard Mærsk container ships. Supplied and supported by SepcoTech.
A sealed cold room ripens its own cargo
Far from port, the provision store is both lifeline and liability. Three things work against it.
Produce gases itself to death
Fruit and vegetables continuously release ethylene — the ripening hormone. In a closed cold room that gas accumulates and accelerates ripening across the whole store, so even the freshest stock typically lasts only about two weeks.
Binned food, thin menus
Spoiled produce is thrown away in quantity, the crew faces a shrinking choice of fresh food toward the end of a voyage, and provisioning has to be over-ordered or topped up at expensive ports of call.
Mould, bacteria & odour
Damp, cold, enclosed spaces breed mould, fungi and bacteria and hold stubborn odours — and on some ships engine exhaust and vapours are drawn in through the air intake, tainting the indoor environment on board.
UV-C light, doing the work of chemicals — without them
JIMCO has specialised in patented UV-C & ozone air treatment from Denmark for decades. Two complementary tools cover the whole vessel.
- Degrades ethylene — the gas that ripens and rots produce — so the whole store ages more slowly
- Reduces bacteria, viruses, mould & fungi in the air and on surfaces — up to 99.9% within 3 hours
- Removes odour from the room, fabrics and surfaces — no perfumes, no masking
- No chemicals, no filters, no NOx — the only consumable is an 8,000-hour UV lamp
- Plug-and-play & maintenance-light — mount it high in the space and switch on
The science is photolytic oxidation. UV-C light at 200–300 nm photolysis breaks down organic molecules directly, while the same light generates a trace of ozone that oxidises (ozonolysis) odour, bacteria, mould and ethylene. The MAC500s contains this process so it produces no NOx and stays safe in occupied spaces; the OZ series releases ozone freely for a far deeper clean — and must be run in spaces vacated during the cycle.
Two modes, one supplier. The MAC500 series is people-safe UV-C — it runs continuously in cold rooms, stores and accommodation while the crew works. The OZ series generates UV-C ozone for periodic deep sanitising of empty stores, waste rooms and problem odours, in spaces vacated during the cycle.
Independently tested — not just claimed
JIMCO's preservation and disinfection performance is backed by accredited third-party laboratories.
| Tested | Result |
|---|---|
| Ethylene removal — Danish Technological Institute (Report 153323) | Degrades ethylene at up to 1.6 mL/h in a 20 m³ room — for scale, a tonne of apples emits ≈10 mL/h, which is why produce lasts longer |
| Shelf-life extension — controlled storeroom trial (≤60 m³) | Up to 14 days more shelf life on stored produce |
| Airborne bacteria & fungi — Analytical Laboratories (S) Pte Ltd, Singapore | Total bacterial & fungal counts fall sharply over 60 min of operation |
| Virus inactivation — MS2 bacteriophage (Report 933322) | Airborne virus cut 89% at 1 h → 99% at 2 h → 99.9% at 3 h |
Laboratory figures from JIMCO test documentation — verified by the Danish Technological Institute and by Analytical Laboratories (S) Pte Ltd, Singapore. A UL-certified / CARB-listed MAC500s version is available, complying with California's air-cleaner ozone regulation. Note the trials used ethylene levels higher than a typical provision store, where the same degradation has a proportionally larger effect on shelf life.
Years in service in Mærsk cold rooms
Not a pilot — JIMCO MAC500 units have been preserving provisions aboard ocean-going container ships, confirmed by the officers running them.
“Significantly longer durability — and the smell is always comfortable.”
On the Caroline Mærsk, a MAC500s has run in the cooling room for three years, where milk, fruit, vegetables and other temperature-sensitive provisions are stored. The result: noticeably longer-lasting produce, less waste, and a consistently fresh-smelling store. The same units now keep provisions fresh across a growing list of vessels in the fleet.
“We experience a significantly longer durability of fruit and vegetables, thus reduced waste goods. The smell is always comfortable in the cooling room.”
Poul Engers PedersenCaptain — 3 years in service“Ethylene was cut in each refrigerated room, giving about a week more shelf life. After just two long voyages, the savings exceeded the cost of the air purifiers.”
Harald AastrupChief Engineer“Poor air quality from exhaust and vapours drawn into the air intake is resolved — a clean environment on board, and significantly extended shelf life far at sea.”
Uffe Damgaard HansenChief Engineer — highly recommendsBeyond shipping, the same JIMCO UV-C & ozone technology is in daily use ashore — at the Vega Salmon A/S fish factory in Esbjerg, tests with the University of Southern Denmark showed listeria and salmonella almost completely removed with roughly one hour of treatment a day.
Small air purifiers for every space on board
Two product families across the vessel — continuous people-safe UV-C, and periodic ozone deep-cleaning. Each has its own page with full specs, imagery and use-cases.
MAC500 Series
● People-safe · runs 24/7Continuous UV-C air & surface disinfection for provision cold rooms, dry stores and accommodation. Removes ethylene, bacteria, mould and odour — no ozone, no filters. One engine, two mountings: the wall/shelf MAC500s and the flush-ceiling MAC500c for new-build and refit.
- UV lamp 1 × 8 W · 25 W
- Coverage up to 60 m³
- Mounting wall/shelf or flush ceiling
OZ Series
⚠ Ozone · vacate during cycleUV-C-produced ozone that sanitises air and surfaces up to 99.84% within the hour — for periodic deep treatment of empty stores, waste rooms and stubborn odours. Three sizes: OZ1000 · OZ1000T · OZ2000.
- Coverage 125–250 m³
- Power 30 W / 60 W
- Voltage 230 V (24 V option)
Ozone safety. OZ-series units produce ozone for deep sanitising — people and animals must not be present in the space during a treatment cycle, and the room should be ventilated before re-entry. The MAC500 Series uses contained UV-C only, produces no ozone, and is safe for continuous use in occupied spaces.
Manufacturer specifications: MAC500s · MAC500c (ceiling) · OZ Series — JIMCO A/S, Made in Denmark
Where it earns its keep on a ship
Cold-store preservation is the headline — but the same technology cleans the air right across the vessel.
Provision & cold rooms
The flagship use: MAC500s in reefer provision stores to extend fruit & vegetable shelf life and cut waste.
Dry provision stores
Keep bread, dairy and dry goods fresher and mould-free, with a consistently clean-smelling store.
Galley, mess & waste rooms
Knock down cooking and garbage odours and disinfect surfaces — OZ-series deep cycles for waste & refuse spaces.
Cabins, mess & hospital
Cleaner air where the crew lives and eats — reducing airborne bacteria and viruses and limiting disease spread.
JIMCO UV-C & ozone, on the job
Watch the same chemical-free UV-C and ozone technology that preserves provisions aboard Mærsk ships — purifying air, disinfecting surfaces and resetting whole spaces.
JIMCO marine air purification — FAQ
Can it run while the crew is in the room?
How much longer will provisions actually last?
Does it use chemicals or filters?
How is it installed and powered?
What's the payback?
Who supplies it, and where?
Spec JIMCO air purification for your fleet
Tell us your cold-room sizes and where you're losing provisions, and we'll recommend the right units and quote them — through ShipServ or direct.
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