Company
Discover our Manufacturing, Scientific, Research and Technological Development & Solutions Organisation.
Read our Latest News such as Articles, Instrumentation and Systems Launches, Speeches and Projects.
Join our Distributors in 80 countries across a diverse array of 25 Market Sectors.
See our Succesful Multi-Sectoral Case Studies, delivered through Our Research and Manufacturing Excellence
Products
Non-invasive contents monitoring of fluids, e.g. transformer oils or liquefied gases
Identification and quantification of airtightness & watertightness
Non-invasive flow measurement of flow, volume, mass and energy rates
NDT corrosion monitoring instruments for measuring thicknesses
Non-invasively monitoring the contents of pressurised, non-liquefied gases
Latest News
Welcome to Coltraco Ultrasonics’ range of Ultrasonic Watertightness and Leak Detection Systems perfect for testing hatch covers, performing chalk test and checking vessel’s hatch covers, cargod hold and hatch cover joints.
We pride ourselves on the quality, reliability, and accuracy of our ultrasonic testing instruments – all made in the UK.
Our watertight integrity leak detectors use ultrasound to monitor the watertight integrity of any room or compartment, with the capability to locate leak sites as small as 0.5mm in diameter. They are commonly used for watertight integrity testing of hatch covers, watertight doors, multi-cable transit (MCT) areas across bulkheads in marine structures. Ideal for detecting leaking hatch covers, hatch coamings and any hatch cover gasket.
Our Portascanner® range of ultrasound testing systems are powerful, portable tools to aid you in your watertight integrity testing procedures. In our opinion its the most accurate ultrasonic hatch cover tester on the market.
Portable instrument for assessing watertightness, locating and quantifying water leaks, and predicting water flow rates.
The Portascanner® WATERTIGHT PRO is a unique ultrasonic technology from Coltraco Ultrasonics capable of identifying the exact location of any leak site within a structure, measuring the physical size of the leak, calculating the rate of water flow through it, and providing the ability to record and report observations.
P/N: 509004-PRO
NSN: 6625-99-257-8336
IMPA MSG P/N: 652778
KD983 CAGE code – COLTRACO LIMITED
Introducing the Portascanner® WATERTIGHT PLUS, the world-leading fully ABS Type-Approved & RINA-Accepted, the watertight integrity tester for inspecting watertight and weathertight seals on ships and marine structures such as warships and offshore oil & gas platforms.
The Portascanner® WATERTIGHT PLUS offers the functionality and display, all packaged into a smart, ergonomic, and rugged enclosure. With the implementation of three testing modes, the user has much greater control when testing a large variety of hatch covers and watertight structures.
A new user interface upgrade now allows the user to switch between Linear, Decibel (dB) and an Open-Hatch mode (specific for testing hatch covers) displaying the percentage leak, making it even more efficient and user-friendly than its predecessor, the Portascanner® Watertight.
Hatch covers are essential to cargo ships, ensuring the safe transport of goods across the world’s oceans. The hatch covers are designed to withstand rough sea conditions and protect the cargo from damage due to water ingress.
However, these covers’ reliability depends on regular and thorough testing to ensure they function as designed. This article will explore the process of hatch cover testing and its significance in the shipping industry.
Unlike alternatives such as hatch cover hose testing, ultrasonic leak testing is quick and non-invasive, allowing you to check for leaks in a matter of minutes with practically no impact on the normal operation of your facilities.
Ultrasound enables a reliable and scientific way to assess watertightness. By contrast, chalk testing is easily falsified. The Portascanner® WATERTIGHT TOUCH is the world’s first ultrasonic leak detector capable of quantifying the physical extent of individual leak sites and determining the flow rate of water through them. Our leak-size quantification algorithms have been independently tested and verified by the National Physical Laboratory, meaning you can understand and quantify the risk posed by each leak or seal.
The Portascanner® WATERTIGHT TOUCH contains in-built imaging and reporting functionality to make the surveying process as smooth as possible. Technical support, training, and advice is available throughout the lifetime of the unit and we are here to help you with your application.
The hatch cover testing aims to evaluate the covers’ structural integrity and water-tightness, ensuring that they function correctly and protect the cargo during transit. This is crucial in ensuring cargo ships’ safe and efficient operation. The testing process provides valuable information on the performance of the covers, allowing for any necessary repairs or replacements to be made before the covers are put into service.
The purpose of hatch cover testing can be broken down into several key objectives:
The hatch cover testing aims to ensure the covers function correctly and protect the cargo during transit. The shipping industry can maintain the highest safety and efficiency standards by regularly testing the covers.
Several types of tests can be performed on hatch covers, including:
Hydrostatic Pressure Testing: This test involves subjecting the hatch covers to a specified water pressure to determine their ability to withstand high water loads.
Air Pressure Testing: This test involves subjecting the hatch covers to a specified air pressure to evaluate their air tightness.
Fatigue Testing: This test involves subjecting the hatch covers to repetitive loads over an extended period to evaluate their ability to withstand cyclic loading.
Leakage Testing: This test involves filling the cargo hold with water and checking for leaks in the hatch covers.
Ultrasonic leak detection takes advantage of fundamental characteristics of sound waves to identify and precisely locate water leaks in any structure. It makes use of the reflection and absorption behaviour of sound waves when incident on a boundary between a solid structure and the air adjacent to it.
Ultrasonic leak detectors are comprised of two main components: an ultrasound generator and a receiver unit. The generator is placed on one side of a structure and switched on, filling the room or compartment with ultrasound. The receiver is then deployed on the other side of the structure to scan for leaks.
When no leak is present, the ultrasound is reflected or absorbed by the structure and so no ultrasound is detected by the receiver. When the receiver wand is pointed towards a leak, ultrasound is detected as it is able to propagate through the leak path. The reflection and diffraction of the sound wave as it passes through the leak path are affected by the size and shape of the leak, meaning information about the size and shape of the leak can be interpreted by the receiver unit.
Simply put, watertightness is essential to keep crew, vessels, and cargo safe. Making sure hatches don’t leak is the primary way to ensure confidence against claims for water damage to cargo. Ensuring that cable transits, doors, and bulkheads are as watertight as they should be, means that, in the event of external damage to a vessel, the compartmentalisation of the vessel functions as it should – preventing loss of the ship and saving lives.
For example, in 2013, the Emma Maersk container ship suffered from the mechanical breakdown of a stern thruster while traversing the Suez Canal. When exposed to water ingress, seven different cable transit seals failed, allowing water to penetrate the engine room and ultimately leading to USD 45 million in damages. Such considerable damages could have been prevented had the seals been tested and replaced.
The Portascanner® range has a proven track record in a number of industries and applications:
The Portascanner is designed to meet Classification Society requirements for watertight integrity type of test equipment. The two most relevant Classification Society requirements are DNVGL-CP-0484 and IACS UR Z17.
DNVGL-CP-0484 relates to the service supplier (the company conducting the ultrasonic watertight integrity test) and also lists the exact requirements of equipment that needs to be used by such service suppliers for ultrasonic watertight integrity testing to comply with the standards. This is in Page 13 and 14 (Chapter 2).
Extract from the requirements as below, and the Portascanner complies with all these:
There are multiple regulations pertaining to watertight/weathertight integrity inspections which are made easier with Portascanner:
SOLAS Reg II-1/11.1
“Where a hose test is not practicable… [it may be replaced by] an ultrasonic leak test or an equivalent test. In any case a thorough inspection of the watertight bulkheads shall be carried out.”
IMO SOLAS Reg II-1/21.3
“The watertight doors and all mechanisms and indicators connected therewith shall be periodically inspected at sea at least once a week.”
IMO SOLAS Reg II-1/13-1.1
“Where penetrations of watertight bulkheads and internal decks are necessary for access, piping, ventilation, electrical cables, etc., arrangements are to be made to maintain the watertight integrity.”
IACS Rules – Requirements for Ultrasonic Watertight Integrity Service Providers
“2. Firms engaged in tightness testing of closing appliances such as hatches, doors etc. with ultrasonic equipment.”
Hatch cover testing is an essential aspect of the shipping industry, ensuring the safe transport of goods across the world’s oceans. The various tests performed on the covers provide valuable information on their performance, allowing for necessary repairs or replacements before they are put into service. Regular testing is critical to the safety of the cargo, crew, and ship, and the shipping industry must prioritise this vital process.
For more information, contact the team at Coltraco Ultrasonics today.
Hatch cover testing is a procedure used to check the integrity of the hatch covers on a ship. This is important because hatch covers must be watertight to protect the cargo from seawater. The testing methods identify any leaks or defects in the hatch covers that could cause water to enter the cargo hold.
The most popular method of testing hatch covers is the hose test. This involves spraying water on the hatch cover at a pressure of 0.5 bar for a specified period of time, usually 15 minutes. If any leaks or defects are found, the hatch cover must be repaired before the ship can sail.
Apart from the hose test, other methods for leak testing hatch covers include:
The three types of hatch cover commonly used on ships are:
Hatch covers must be checked to ensure they are watertight and protect the cargo from seawater. A failure in the hatch cover system can lead to water ingress, which can damage or destroy the cargo, endanger the crew’s safety, and threaten the vessel’s stability.
The chalk test involves drawing a line on the hatch cover with a piece of chalk, then closing the hatch cover and running a hose over the area. If any water enters the cargo hold and comes into contact with the chalk line, it will leave a mark indicating the leak’s location. This method is less commonly used than the hose test but can be a proper additional method to identify more minor leaks.
{ “@context”: “https://schema.org”, “@type”: “FAQPage”, “mainEntity”: [{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “What is the hatch cover testing method?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Hatch cover testing is a procedure used to check the integrity of the hatch covers on a ship. This is important because hatch covers must be watertight to protect the cargo from seawater. The testing methods identify any leaks or defects in the hatch covers that could cause water to enter the cargo hold.” } },{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “What is the most popular way of testing done on hatch covers?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “The most popular method of testing hatch covers is the hose test. This involves spraying water on the hatch cover at a pressure of 0.5 bar for a specified period of time, usually 15 minutes. If any leaks or defects are found, the hatch cover must be repaired before the ship can sail.” } },{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “What are the methods for leak testing of a ship’s hatch cover?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Apart from the hose test, other methods for leak testing hatch covers include: Chalk testing Ultrasonic testing Vacuum testing Water drip testing” } },{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “What are the three types of hatch covers?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “The three types of hatch cover commonly used on ships are: Folding hatch covers Rolling hatch covers Lift-away hatch covers” } },{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “Why must hatch covers be inspected?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “Hatch covers must be checked to ensure they are watertight and protect the cargo from seawater. A failure in the hatch cover system can lead to water ingress, which can damage or destroy the cargo, endanger the crew’s safety, and threaten the vessel’s stability.” } },{ “@type”: “Question”, “name”: “What is a chalk test for hatch covers?”, “acceptedAnswer”: { “@type”: “Answer”, “text”: “The chalk test involves drawing a line on the hatch cover with a piece of chalk, then closing the hatch cover and running a hose over the area. If any water enters the cargo hold and comes into contact with the chalk line, it will leave a mark indicating the leak’s location. This method is less commonly used than the hose test but can be a proper additional method to identify more minor leaks.” } }] }
Our air leakage detection systems use ultrasound to monitor the airtight integrity of any room or compartment.
Our watertight integrity leak detectors use ultrasound to monitor the watertight integrity of any room or compartment
Our News
The latest news, technologies, and resources from our team.
Watch the video demonstration of the Portalevel® MAX PLUS + Portasteele® CALCULATOR measuring the liquid level of a 45 KG / 100 lbs CO2 cylinder
Are you looking for a precise solution to monitor your pressurized gas systems? If so, we have the perfect solution for you – Portagas®. Portagas® is
Coltraco Ultrasonics has recently been featured on Metoree, a product and manufacturer information comparison site for researchers and engineers. Our diverse range of products, including
