HATCH TESTING

Humber Inspection International work with ship owners, insurance companies and commodity traders by providing both hose, and ultrasonic, hatch cover testing. Leaking hatch covers are frequently the cause of large cargo damage claims. Usually hatch covers leak because of damaged securing cleats or missing sections of the watertight gaskets. It is therefore imperative that ship owners, cargo underwriters and indeed traders of water sensitive cargoes check to ensure that chartered vessels have regular and careful maintenance of hatch cover gaskets, compression bars and cleats. Depending on the cargo to be carried and its value, our inspectors will either carryout a hatch hose test, or an ultrasonic hatch cover test. Our highly trained surveyors use the leading Sherlog TA ultrasonic hatch cover test kit which is the only kit of its kind to be approved by classification societies. Ultrasonic hatch cover testing is the most efficient, and often most cost effective, method of checking holds for watertighness. We are frequently contracted to perform ultrasonic hatch testing at our home port of Immingham for several major shipping lines, marine insurance companies, commodity traders and particularly those involved in the carriage of steel, paper reels and certain agricultural products.