The unforeseen importance of a clean onboard environment

Having a clean engine room or deck is not only nice to have but also important for the crew to help them do their job safely.


Clean machinery spaces allow one to detect leaks and other defects that may potentially lead to bigger accidents. Moreover, regular cleaning preserves the value of the ship and ensures compliance in today’s regulatory environment.

The reduction of any one of the factors can be compensated by increasing other factors. Therefore, a smart combination of the aforementioned elements can give the desired cleaning result. As a seafarer, you would want to minimise the effort and time spent on cleaning tasks, and there is always a limitation working with high temperatures. As a result, choosing the right chemicals may end up being the most critical factor.

What is the right chemical?

Does it really matter as to what kind of chemical we use for cleaning on ships?

Yes it does!

The ship is a complex ecosystem with different machineries and applications. A chemical used for cleaning a certain equipment in the engine room might not work as well for cleaning on deck or, in worse cases, may do more harm than good.

Moreover, in case of engine room cleaning, the chemicals can have a significant impact on the performance of Oily Water Separator; chemicals that form a very stable emulsion will have a detrimental effect on the oily water separation.

Therefore, it is imperative that a ship’s crew use chemicals from a trusted supplier who, along with the chemicals, can also provide the right support in using the chemicals in the correct manner and achieve the desired results.

This is where we can support you

Wilhelmsen Ships Service (WSS) supplies high-quality cleaning chemicals for marine use under the brand name Unitor™.

Within the Unitor™ range which is developed at our own chemical factory in Norway, there is an extensive portfolio of cleaning chemicals which keep your vessels clean and compliant and have minimal environmental impact.

All Unitor™ chemicals are produced under strict quality controls according to ISO 9001/14001. It is all about minimising the risks while maximising efficiency.

The wide range of chemicals covers different applications such as:
• Cleaning and degreasing for deck and engine
• Carbon removers
• Cleaners for new boiler and cooling systems
• Electrical cleaner
• Mud and silt remover, etc.

But WSS doesn’t just simply supply high quality chemicals. In every case, WSS ensures that Unitor™ chemicals are safe to use, help you stay in compliance with relevant rules and regulations, and are backed up by dedicated single-point customer service, technical support and advice, and a worldwide logistics network that helps you get the products you need at any time.

Keeping your vessels clean and compliant is as important for WSS as much as it is for you. With Unitor™ products, WSS is here to help you clean for a better and safer vessel environment.

Reach out today to your local WSS representative to learn more.