Before departure on a North Atlantic passage in November, the chief mate asks you to inspect the hatch cover cleats, drainage channels and rubber seals on all five hatch covers. What are you looking for and why is this particularly important for this voyage?

A. HATCH COVER INSPECTION — PRE-NORTH ATLANTIC WINTER PASSAGE: WHY CRITICAL: The North Atlantic in November is the WNA (Winter North Atlantic) zone — some of the severest seas in the world. Green water on deck at significant angles of roll can create substantial hydrostatic pressure on hatch covers. Any weathertightness deficiency can result in rapid water ingress and cargo damage or loss of buoyancy reserve. WHAT TO INSPECT: (1) CLEAT CONDITION AND SETTING: cleats must achieve correct rubber compression (approximately 30-35% compression for most marine seals) — over-tightened: seal cut; under-tightened: seal lifts and leaks in heavy seas; (2) RUBBER SEALS: check for: (a) Surface cracking (ageing rubber); (b) Flat spots where compression has permanently deformed the rubber; (c) Cuts, gouges or missing sections; (d) Hardened/glazed surface (seal no longer compresses); (e) Compression bar condition — dents or distortion affect seal contact; (3) DRAINAGE CHANNELS: clear of cargo residue, rust, and debris — blocked drains build up water pressure which defeats the seal; (4) CROSS JOINT PACKING: where adjacent panels meet — a common leak path; (5) HATCH PANEL ALIGNMENT: misalignment from heavy cargo loading can distort coamings. RECORD: all defect locations by panel and position, action taken, any seal sections replaced.

B. Check cleats are tight. Rubber seal inspection is done only during annual survey — between surveys, cleat tightness is the only maintenance required.

C. Drainage channels should be permanently sealed before ocean passages to prevent seawater back-flooding through the drains into the hold.

D. The WNA zone classification means all vessels must carry excess safety equipment but does not impose additional hatch inspection requirements.

A. CARGO HOLD PRE-DEPARTURE INSPECTION — KEY AREAS AND DEFECTS: TANK TOP AND INNER BOTTOM: (a) Cracks or indentations in tank top plating from grab or bulldozer damage; (b) Paint condition — loss of protective coating accelerates corrosion; (c) Drainage — tank top drain plugs in place and secured; (d) Bilge strum boxes — clear and accessible. TRANSVERSE BULKHEADS AND FRAMES: (a) Bracket toes (lower connections of web frames to tank top) — most common fatigue crack location in bulk carriers; (b) Corrugated bulkhead lower stools — check for cracking at the stool shelf plate connection; (c) Pitting corrosion on transverse bulkheads. HATCH COAMINGS AND HATCH COVER SUPPORT PADS: (a) Distortion of coamings from grabbing; (b) Rubber seal condition and compression — damaged seals = weathertightness failure; (c) Drain channels clear of debris. LONGITUDINAL STRUCTURE: (a) Side shell frames and brackets — look for buckling in upper wing tanks; (b) Hoppers — corrosion pitting (most severe in lower hopper knuckle, hidden area). REPORTING: defects found → log in ship's Defect Reporting system → notify master → notify DPA → classification society notification if structural (IACS UR S18 criteria).

B. Inspect only the hatch covers for watertightness. Internal hold structure is inspected by classification society surveyors and is not the OOW's responsibility.

C. Walk around the hatch perimeter and check the cargo surface is level. Structural inspection requires special climbing equipment and is done only in dry dock.

D. Check the hold ventilation fans and lighting. Structural checks are the chief mate's responsibility and should not be conducted by the OOW.

A. HATCH COVER WEATHERTIGHTNESS TESTING — THREE METHODS: (1) CHALK AND STRAIGHT EDGE TEST: apply chalk to the seating/compression bar around the hatch coaming; close the hatch and then open it — check where chalk has transferred to the rubber seal. Chalk marks show contact; gaps without chalk marks indicate poor seal compression. Fast and simple. (2) HOSE TEST (WATER SPRAY): aim a fire hose jet at the hatch cover perimeter seals from a standardised distance — typically 1 metre at 30 psi. An observer checks inside the hold for any water ingress. This is the standard weathertightness test required under SOLAS (MSC/Circ.860). Record locations of any leaks. (3) ULTRASONIC TEST: an ultrasonic transmitter is placed inside the closed hold and a detector is used outside along the seal. The detector signals increased ultrasonic transmission at any gap — more sensitive than hose test and detects minor leaks. IICL and IACS recommend ultrasonic testing for ore carriers and container ships where full water testing is impractical. AFTER TESTING: any failed seals → replace rubber or adjust cleat compression before departure. Document test in the ship's records. P&I Club surveyors may witness testing for cargo claims protection. Hatch cover hydraulic rams and hinges → check for hydraulic leaks and proper operation.

B. Paint the hatch cover seals with red lead paint and close the hatch. Any areas where paint smears onto the coaming indicate a good seal. Areas without smearing are leaking.

C. Weathertightness testing is only required for chemical tankers. Bulk carrier hatch covers need only a visual inspection before sea passage.

D. Test by closing all hatches and flooding the deck with a fire hose over the entire top surface. If no water appears in the holds after 30 minutes, the hatches are watertight.