Experts recommend increasing medical oxygen on board

The British maritime safety expert Survitec (Survitec) agency recommended that the current supply of medical oxygen on the ship should be increased in the case of crew and passengers becoming sick due to new coronary pneumonia.

Although IMDG regulations and MFAG guidelines require operators to carry at least 44 liters of medical oxygen at 200 bar, Jan-Oskar Lid, global technical sales manager for fire protection, rescue and safety of Survitec, said that if a new epidemic occurs, the current minimum The requirements will not be enough.

He said: “Most ships will carry one 40-liter gas cylinder and two smaller two-liter gas cylinders. A 40-liter gas cylinder can operate at a flow rate of up to 25 liters per minute and a speed of 200 bar. About 5.3 hours, but if medical assistance is not available, or the cylinder cannot be replaced quickly, it is unlikely to be enough to treat more than one patient with new coronary pneumonia.".

A healthy adult needs about 7 liters of oxygen per minute, but the new coronary pneumonia may deplete it to dangerous levels. The Survitec agency emphasized that depending on the severity of the infection, a single patient with new coronary pneumonia needs 2 to 15 liters of oxygen per minute.

Under special circumstances, the fourth stage oxygen boost therapy requires 60 liters per minute.

LID said: “Although the number of cylinders stored on a ship depends on a series of factors, such as the number of crew/passengers, the type of cargo carried and the sailing/operating area, it is clear that the current minimum number will not be sufficient to treat multiple infected persons. people."

"Therefore, we recommend that ship/offshore installation operators and shipowners increase the number of cylinders they currently have on board."

Author：Joanna Sampson

Article source: IG China