Hapag-Lloyd Cruises decides to use air curtain systems in its expedition ships

Custom-made air curtain units for the expedition ships HANSEATIC nature and HANSEATIC inspiration

Ahoy and off to new shores! Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, the TUI Cruises GmbH company, is impressing with its new expedition class. With the recently launched ships Hanseatic nature and Hanseatic Inspiration, the shipping company is expanding its luxury cruise offering.

The expedition class cruise ships sail to destinations such as the Arctic and Antarctic as well as the mangrove forests or the Amazon. They are more manoeuvrable and designed to withstand extreme conditions. Equipped with the latest technology and the highest level of comfort, they are in no way inferior to the larger models. Adventurous passengers in particular should benefit from discovering the most remote regions of the world. For example, the Arctic and Antarctic nature, the tropical wildlife of Central and South America or the coasts of Asia.

Requirements for the Tekadoor air curtain for use under extreme conditions

The cruise ships on expedition voyages are exposed to particularly extreme weather conditions, such as the polar climate of the Arctic or even tropical heat. The Tekadoor air curtains used also have to withstand extremely high or extremely low temperatures, salty air and humidity in their function of climatically separating the outdoor and indoor climate.

How does the housing of the air curtain behave in an aggressive, salty environment? What about the fans when they have to withstand sub-zero temperatures and salty, aggressive air? To what extent can the air curtains be installed at the ship’s landing entrances so that they optimally screen cold or warm air? How can door air curtains be visually integrated into a very sophisticated interior? These are just a few of the questions we have dealt with.

For the expedition ships of Hapag Lloyd Cruises, we have been able to deliver the right solution with regard to the technical and structural requirements.

The different areas of application are described below:

Desired scope and challenge

In the areas that are open to the outside, such as the ship’s entrances and loading zones, there is
There is sometimes a lot of passenger and goods traffic in areas that are open to the outside, such as ship entrances and loading zones, especially during landings, where an exchange of air masses with different temperatures is to be prevented.

The previously heated air or conditioned air of the interior penetrates to the outside in the case of an open ship entrance above the entrance. The problem in cold environments: Cold air enters the ship at the bottom of the doorway. To prevent this, an air curtain unit at the landing entrance should shield the cold air and warm up trailing air streams.

The problem in tropical warm environments: Air-conditioned air escapes from the ship in the floor area and warm unconditioned air enters the ship. The exchange of differently conditioned air masses is effectively prevented by the air curtain.

The result: the comfortable temperature at the entrance and inside the ship is maintained – in cold as well as warm outside temperatures.

Overview of the requirements for the air curtain unit:

Housing resistant to temperatures below 0 degrees
Housing is resistant to very high temperatures
Fans are resistant to salty air
Heat exchangers are resistant to salty air
Functionality of the fans at sub-zero temperatures must be given
Large throw of the air curtain
Low noise level
Optimum shielding
The units fit into the given structural setting of the ship (here: ship’s entrance, landing gangway)
Simple control

Foto: Tekadoor, Colum

Product details

Please take a look at our online catalogue. There you will please find further technical details about the Colum EC in a user-friendly overview.

Photo: Tekadoor, Tekadoor online catalogue

The Tekadoor team was able to successfully implement the requirements for the device. Above all, the team is pleased that the shipping company opted for Tekadoor’s customised design.

Sustainable special solutions for shipping and marine construction

In the past, the Tekadoor team has developed a variety of air curtain systems that are used in many places. An important aspect that we consider and also strive for: Sustainability.

The unit solutions meet additional requirements in terms of energy efficiency, sustainability and other necessary technical standards for the benefit of the environment and climate.

Such special designs as outlined above are not only conceivable for shipbuilding, but also for other areas where heating energy is to be saved.
Here is an overview of our areas of application.

Please do not hesitate to contact us. We will be happy to produce the right device for your area of application.

Other areas of application:

This post is also available in: German