The health and welfare of your guests and crew is of paramount importance to achieving guest satisfaction and a productive workforce. Food borne and gastrointestinal outbreaks onboard a cruise ship can prove disastrous and in extreme cases can result in the cancellation of cruises, as well as operational and financial setbacks.

In addition, the general public and travel agent community use as a yardstick vessel inspections conducted by Environmental Health Officers of the Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP). These inspections are conducted in a US port and published monthly in the summary of Sanitation Inspections of International Cruise Ships. This sheet is distributed to more than 3,000 travel related services around the world - also available on the internet.

The major cruise destinations in the United States, Canada, and Europe are now enforcing strict sanitation inspection procedures and standards. Our team of seasoned inspectors can prepare your company and vessels to meet and exceed these standards while ensuring your guests and crew avoid food borne illness.

• Assessment of U.S.P.H. readiness and Inspection
• U.S.P.H. Training
• New Build Services

Assessment of U.S.P.H. Readiness and Inspection

Our inspectors inspect all Food, Beverage, and Housekeeping areas of the vessel and prepare a report denoting the state of readiness to pass an inspection. The report analyzes all technical and procedural aspects of the operation as outlined by the VSP Operations Manual 2001 (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). The inspection is based on the following areas of operation:

• The ship's water supply - to determine how water is stored, distributed, protected, and disinfected.
• The ship's spas and pools - to ensure adequate filtration and disinfections.
• The ship's food - to determine how it is protected during storage, preparation, and service.
• The potential for contamination of food and water - to determine what interventions are needed for protection.
• The practices and personal hygiene of employees - to ensure cleanliness and the use of appropriate hygienic practices.
• The general cleanliness and physical condition of the ship - to ensure cleanliness and the absence of insects and rodents.

A statement of corrective action will be formulated to enable shipboard management and crew to respond to the inspection.

U.S.P.H Training

United States Public Health or USPH is an organization whose main role is to ensure that safe food handling and working practices are carried out on all ships. The employees must be made fully aware that their participation is vitally important.

Training covers the following topics:

• Personal Hygiene - To ensure the highest levels of cleanliness. Emphasizing on clean uniforms, jewelry, hair and hand sanitizers.
• Hygienic Practices - Ensuring that the correct protective outfits are worn and that all rules and regulations are met.
• Food Contamination - Exercising and ensuring the correct protocol is used to protect food during storage, transportation, preparation, holding and service.
• Equipment and Utensils - Employees are to learn the correct procedures for usage.
• Storage and Preparation - Ensuring that all foods are stored in the correct manner and location
• Display and Service - Ensuring all foods on display are protected from contamination.
• Equipment and Ware washing - All employees are to learn the correct protocol for ensuring that all equipment is cleaned and maintained to USPH standards.
  
• Chemical Training - Learning the correct procedures for storing, measuring, and labelling chemicals
• Waste Disposal - Garbage segregation and full understanding of environmental awareness.

Since 1997 we have overseen the construction and assisted in the planning of over fifteen new cruise ships built in major Western European yards. Four of these vessels out of seven that were subjected to a vessel Sanitation Inspection scored a perfect 100 on their initial inspection! Our team of inspectors have worked tirelessly with the vessel sanitation (VSP) construction guidelines to ensure that vessels meet all the latest design specifications (VSP Construction Guidelines - August 2001).

New build plans (G.A. Plans) are customarily reviewed 18 - 24 months before a vessel is scheduled for delivery. The following areas are reviewed

• All Equipment Specifications
• All food, bar and housekeeping, related storage, preparation and service areas
• All potable and non-potable water system plans with details on water inlets, (sea chests) outlets and backflow protection devices
• Ventilation System Plans
• Swimming pool and whirlpool spas.

A complete report will be formulated and statement of corrective action on site. construction inspections for new build designs are then planned in conjunction with the timeline of the vessel.