One of the major concerns in the shipping industry is the damage sea water can cause to cargo, which not only threatens vessel safety but also leads to expensive insurance claims. To prevent this, hatch covers must be regularly inspected and maintained to detect leaks and ensure the integrity of the cargo hold.
Several inspection methods have been used over time. The simplest is a visual inspection using a torch, checking for rust, damage, or residue. Whilst quick and easy, it’s limited by what the eye can see. This can be used in conjunction with chalk testing, where chalk powder is applied to the gasket, highlighting potential leaks wherever the chalk rubs away. Water hose testing involves spraying high-pressure water over the hatch cover. Although widely used, the hold must be empty to avoid causing unnecessary damage to the cargo, making it time-consuming and impractical. Vacuum box testing is more accurate, creating a vacuum inside the hold to measure leaks by loss of vacuum. It is, however, expensive and requires the hold to be empty. Ultrasonic Testing (UT) is a quick and highly accurate leak detection test and is where Cygnus comes in!
Cygnus’ Pin-Point Accurate, Ultrasonic Leak Detection System
Cygnus has applied its marine industry knowledge and ultrasonic expertise to a different angle; a fast, effective and... learn more about why you should choose ultrasonic testing for hatch cover inspections.
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