Addressing seafarers' long-standing need for fresh vegetables as they undertake long voyages across oceans, shipping companies have for the first time installed technology-driven vegetable growing units on board merchant ships. The move has ushered in a quiet revolution in the maritime world, transforming both the meals and morale of the crew.
"It's been a game changer for us at sea. The units ensure a continuous supply of fresh greens, requiring minimal maintenance from the crew while significantly enhancing onboard nutrition. For vegetarians, especially, this is a breakthrough — fresh salads and herbs have always been a luxury on long voyages, as I have witnessed first-hand over the last 30 years of my career at sea," said Captain Rajesh K Verma, Master of the Synergy Marine group-managed Aframax tanker 'Effie Maersk'. Four of Synergy's merchant ships – 90 percent of its 28,000-plus seafarers are Indian – had these hydroponics units installed last year
Hydroponics involves growing plants in an artificial environment without soil and by using water-based solutions.
The hydroponics units, which are about the size of standard refrigerators or wine coolers, use artificial intelligence, cameras and sensors to regulate environmental factors such as ultraviolet light, water, fertilizer and temperature, that remain controlled and unaffected by outside climatic conditions which may vary as the ships sail to different continents. The plants grow vertically without soil with a "virtual agronomist" constantly monitoring each plant and adjusting its parameters for best quality and yield.
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