DuPont, RecoveryPRO and BELFOR Group Partner to clean and disinfect Diamond Princess cruise ship
DuPont Personal Protection, RecoveryPRO and BELFOR Group teamed up to conduct a deep cleaning aboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship following an outbreak of COVID-19 among its passengers and crew in February 2020. The collaboration among the companies, along with protocol guidance established by global health and safety organizations, resulted in an effective clean and disinfect solution enabling the ship to be deemed safe to sail.
When the onboard outbreak surfaced in February 2020, the ship docked in Yokohama, Japan. Due to the severity of the virus, the Japanese government required the Diamond Princess to complete a two-month quarantine for the more than 2,600 passengers and 1,000 crew members on the ship before remediation could be pursued. Once it was deemed safe to proceed by the Japanese Ministry of Health and Princess Cruises, interim recommendations and protocols developed by the World Health Organization (WHO), the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases were used to undertake a heavy-duty surface cleaning. A comprehensive cleaning and disinfection of the ship was needed to remove the threat of infection and to prevent the spread of future disease. Training and education were key pieces of the cleaning plan.
RecoveryPRO led the clean and disinfection project aboard the ship with assistance from its parent company BELFOR Group, a global leader in disaster recovery and property restoration. DuPont™ Tyvek® personal protective garments were used to help keep the frontline cleaning crew workers safe.
“We chose DuPont™ Tyvek® because of its comfort, ease of wear, and resistance to abrasions and tears,” said Guido Gavio, Asia Complex Loss Director, BELFOR Asia.
The limited global supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) coupled with the need for garments to outfit three crews working 24-hour shifts presented additional challenges that had to be overcome for successful remediation of the vessel. Despite these challenges and an unprecedented global demand for PPE, DuPont immediately responded by providing the proper PPE solutions for daily cleaning and disinfecting operations aboard the Diamond Princess.
“I would like to thank DuPont for their extensive support,” said Satoshi Banya, Managing Director for RecoveryPRO Ltd. “We see the real value in working with a global leader of PPE, who could make things happen in such difficult times.”
"We are proud of our partnership with BELFOR Group and RecoveryPRO and how we all worked together to help ensure the safety of hundreds of essential workers while addressing this critical clean and disinfect need. "said David Domnisch, Global Business Director, DuPont. “DuPont is committed to helping with the countless PPE needs for workers on the frontline in the fight against COVID-19 so that they can return home to their families safely.”
The Diamond Princess is just one example of the critical need for enhanced cleaning and disinfection in public spaces as we begin to move forward from COVID-19. The pandemic will continue to impact clean and disinfect protocols for cruise lines, schools, hospitals, and extended care facilities globally and it will be crucial to establish best practices for these processes to ensure all measures are taken to protect against future outbreaks.
DuPont continues to offer best practices and guidance to the clean and disinfect workers. Selecting the right garments to address the hazard and learning and following proper donning and doffing procedures are part of the overall efficacy in any clean and disinfect task. With proper training and the right PPE, equipment and cleaning products, these essential workers have the tools they need to complete any clean and disinfect project while preserving their safety and health.
About RecoveryPRO
RecoveryPro is derived from two words Recovery Professionals. As the name suggests, RecoveryPro’s main business is to help companies recover after a disaster. Since its inception in 2010, RecoveryPro has helped to bring hundreds of companies back to business after a disaster. RecoveryPro is one of the leading experts in fire and water damage restoration in Japan. The company’s societal role in Japan has increased over the years as a result of the increase of disasters due to climate change.
About BELFOR
BELFOR is the global leader in providing disaster recovery services. In its activities, BELFOR relies upon over 35 years of experience, state-of-art technology, more than 11,100 employees located at over 450 branches in 55 countries, and a readiness to operate 365 days a year, round the clock. More information is available at www.belfor.com.
About DuPont Water & Protection
DuPont Water and Protection is a global leader in creating water, shelter and safety solutions for a more sustainable world; enabling its customers to win through unique capabilities, global scale and iconic brands including Kevlar®, Nomex®, Tyvek®, Corian® Design, GreatStuff™, Styrofoam™, and FilmTec™.
About DuPont
DuPont (NYSE: DD) is a global innovation leader with technology-based materials and solutions that help transform industries and everyday life. Our employees apply diverse science and expertise to help customers advance their best ideas and deliver essential innovations in key markets including electronics, transportation, construction, water, healthcare and worker safety.
