seatec - Finnish marine technology review 1/2010 | Page 41

DISHWASHING EFFICIENCY different tracks, with plates being gently to Royal Caribbean International in Octo- Meiko’s product range includes machines forwarded onto a twin cord conveyor belt ber 2009. This cruise ship – which accom- for stationary dishwashing operations, au- which transports them towards the plate modates up to 5,400 passengers in lower tomatic conveyor type washing machines, stacking device. beds – has been equipped with a total of integrated dishwashing machines, glass- Meiko’s dishwashing systems – which 128 Meiko dishwashing machines as well ware washing machines and conveying constitute the company’s core activity – are as a two-line vacuum food waste dispos- systems. Its great variety of machine sizes complemented by two other product lines al system connecting 22 feed units in the and capacities helps Meiko to serve a very which have likewise gained global reputa- ship’s galley areas to a central waste han- wide scope of clients, including medium- tion: Waste treatment installations are tai- dling facility. Other recent references in- sized restaurants and bars as much as large lored to convert problematic food waste clude the German-built M/V “AIDA Blu” hotels, hospitals and production plants for into bio-waste which can be handled and and “AIDA Luna” (each of the two ships in-flight catering. All these customers re- disposed more easily. Eventually, Meiko’s is equipped with seven different prod- quire systems ensuring rapid high-per- bedpan washers and associated hospital ucts from the Meiko dishwashing sys- formance cleaning of huge amounts of sluice rooms equipment have set stand- tems range), all of Color Line’s new fer- trays, crockery, cutlery, glassware as well as ards in hospital patients and nursing staff ries (“Color Fantasy”, “Color Magic”, pots and pans. An example of Meiko’s ap- hygiene for several decades. “Color Superspeed 1” and “Color Superspeed 2”), Brittany Ferries’ new “Ar- proach to these demanding requirements is the DV 200.2 PW, an innovative passing- MEIKO MARINE morique” as well as Norwegian Cruise through machine which is able to wash up In recent years Meiko Maschinenbau has Line’s 2009-built “Norwegian Epic”. The to 120 standard-size baskets of dirty ware systematically extended its presence in the maritime reference list also features Celeb- per hours. Its power wash programme en- maritime segment and successfully turned rity Cruises’ five newbuildings constructed sures optimum cleaning of even the most into a global market leader supplying car- at Meyer Werft between 2008 and 2012: difficult ware, such as kitchen implements go ships, ferries and cruise vessels. Partic- The “Celebrity Solstice” and her sisters or pots and pans. For its very large cus- ularly in the passenger shipping segment are equipped with a total of nine different tomers Meiko provides fully automatic its products can be found on most newly products from Meiko’s portfolio, including washing-up plants which can process up delivered ships. Among Meiko’s most re- – apart from dishwashing systems – also a to 1,800 tray sets per hour and be oper- cent and at the same time most spectac- food waste treatment installation. ated by just two people – in contrast, con- ular references is the M/S “Oasis of the ventional dishwashing systems with similar Seas” which was delivered by STX Europe ■ FREDERIK NAUMANN capacities require ten to 15 operators. The heart of Meiko’s fully automatic plants is a clearing, sorting and loading system which Meiko’s elaborate dishwashing systems ensure rapid high-performance cleaning of huge amounts of trays, crockery, cutlery, glassware as well as pots and pans. separates and handles all different sorts of ware that are found on a tray: First, a magnetic cutlery lifting device with an incorporated demagnetising device removes all cutlery items and transfers them onto a dedicated track. Subsequently, all crockery items are removed from the trays and forwarded to a pre-washing station while the trays themselves continue on a dedicated track towards their own washing station. All cutlery items as well as the trays are automatically turned around on rotating hedgehog-type extended finger belts in order to remove loose waste such as food remains, napkins, etc. Crockery items are subsequently sorted and distributed onto seatec 1/2010 39