1 ApplicationThese Standards define requirements for the
owners. inspection and maintenance of cargo hatch covers on board bulk carriers.
2 Maintenance of hatch covers and hatch opening,
closing, securing and sealing systems2.1 Lack of weathertightness may be
attributed to:
- normal wear and tear of the hatch cover system: deformation of
the hatch coaming or cover due to impact; wear of the friction pads where fitted;
wear and tear of the cleating arrangement; or
- lack of maintenance:
corrosion of plating and stiffeners due to breakdown of coatings; lack of
lubrication of moving parts; cleats, joint gaskets and rubber pads in need of
replacement, or replaced with incorrect specification parts.
2.2 Insecure hatch covers may be particularly attributed to damage or wear of
securing devices, or incorrect adjustment, and incorrect pre-tension and load sharing,
of cleating systems.
2.3 Ship owners and
operators shall therefore institute a programme of maintenance. This maintenance shall
be directed to:
- protecting exposed surfaces of plating and stiffeners of hatch
covers and coamings in order to preserve overall structural strength;
- preserving the surface of trackways of rolling covers, and of compression
bars and other steel work bearing on seals or friction pads, noting that surface
smoothness and correct profile are important for reducing wear rates on these
components;
- maintaining hydraulic or mechanically powered opening,
closing, securing or cleating systems in accordance with manufacturer.s
recommendations;
- maintaining manual cleats in adjustment, with
replacement when significant wastage, wear or loss of adjustment capability is
identified;
- replacing seals and other wear components in accordance with
manufacturers' recommendations, noting the need to carry on board or obtain such
spares of correct specification, and that seals are designed for a particular
degree of compression, hardness, chemical and wear resistance; and
- keeping all hatch cover drains and their non-return valves, where fitted,
in working order, noting that any drains fitted to the inboard side of seal lines
will have non-return valves for prevention of water ingress to holds in the event
of boarding seas.
2.4 The equalization of securing loads shall be maintained following the
renewal of components such as seals, rubber washers, peripheral and cross joint
cleats.
2.5 Ship owners and operators shall
keep a Maintenance Plan and a record of maintenance and component replacement carried
out, in order to facilitate maintenance planning and statutory surveys by the
Administration. Hatch cover maintenance plans shall form part of a ship.s safety
management system as referred to in the ISM Code.
2.6 Where the range of cargoes carried requires different gasket materials,
a selection of gasket materials of the correct specifications shall be carried on
board, in addition to other spares.
2.7 At
each operation of a hatch cover, the cover and, in particular, bearing surfaces and
drainage channels shall be free of debris and as clean as practicable.
2.8 Attention is drawn to the dangers of
proceeding to sea without fully secured hatch covers. Securing of all covers shall
always be completed before the commencement of a sea passage. During voyages,
especially on loaded passages, cover securing devices and tightness of cleating and
securing arrangements shall be checked, especially in anticipation of, and following
periods of, severe weather. Hatch covers may only be opened on passage, when
necessary, during favourable sea and weather conditions; imminent weather forecasts
shall also be considered.
2.9 Operators
shall consult the Cargo Securing Manual when planning the loading of containers or
other cargo on hatch covers and confirm that they are designed and approved for such
loads. Lashings shall not be secured to the covers or coamings unless these are
suitable to withstand the lashing forces.
3
Inspection of hatch covers and hatch opening, closing, securing and sealing
systems3.1 Statutory surveys of hatch covers and
their coamings are carried out by the Administration as part of the annual survey
required by article 14 of the International Convention on Load Lines, 1966, as
modified by the 1988 Protocol relating thereto and in accordance with the requirements
for Enhanced Surveys contained in resolution A.744(18), as amended. However, the
continued safe operation is dependent on the shipowner or operator instituting a
regular programme of inspections to confirm the state of the hatch covers in between
surveys.
3.2 Routines shall be established
to perform checks during the voyage, and inspections when the hatch covers are opened.
3.3 Voyage checks shall consist of an
external examination of the closed hatch covers and securing arrangements in
anticipation of, and after, heavy weather but in any event at least once a week,
weather permitting. Particular attention shall be paid to the condition of hatch
covers in the forward 25% of the ship.s length, where sea loads are normally greatest.
3.4 The following items, where provided,
shall be inspected for each hatch cover set when the hatch covers are opened or are
otherwise accessible on each voyage cycle, but need not be inspected more frequently
than once per month:
- hatch cover panels, including side plates, and stiffener
attachments of opened covers for visible corrosion, cracks or deformation;
- sealing arrangements of perimeter and cross joints (gaskets, flexible
seals on combination carriers, gasket lips, compression bars, drainage channels
and non-return valves) for condition and permanent deformation;
- clamping
devices, retaining bars and cleating for wastage, adjustment, and condition of
rubber components;
- closed cover locating devices for distortion and
attachment;
- chain or wire rope pulleys;
- guides;
- guide
rails and track wheels;
- stoppers;
- wires, chains, tensioners and
gypsies;
- hydraulic system, electrical safety devices and interlocks; and
- end and inter-panel hinges, pins and stools where fitted.
As
part of this inspection, the coamings with their plating, stiffeners and brackets
shall be checked at each hatchway for visible corrosion, cracks and deformation,
especially of the coaming tops and corners, adjacent deck plating and brackets.