Dr Carl Stephen Patrick Hunter CEO & Managing Director, Coltraco Ultrasonics
A look at one company’s mission to resolve “the ungoverned space” in shipping
There are 55,000 ships in the world carrying 95% of all commodities and goods. 25% of these are Tankers, Chemical Carriers & Product Tankers. 40% of these are Bulk Carriers and General Cargo ships. These have a need for vessel integrity and vessel fire safety.
Currently it is well known that the shipping industry has taken a big hit in certain areas. The amount of “urgent” supply requests that increase during one of shipping’s cyclical down‐turns is because it is during these times when owners risk vessel detention by not placing safety critical equipment onboard. There are two key aspects to investigate in more detail because they are oft overlooked: the ungoverned spaces of fire safety and watertight integrity. Looking at the UK as leaders in the shipping industry worldwide with a case study focus on a British designer and manufacturer who is sailing through the tough times.
Fire safety is more than another tickbox
Engine room fires are often reported, but there are many more instances where problems with the fire system may not reach the public eye. In a ship’s fire extinguishing system, there may be 600 x 45kg/100lb cylinders of CO2. CO2 is a highly effective liquefied gaseous extinguishant designed to displace oxygen and suppress a fire. But they are under high pressure, often more than 50 Bar so they can leak or accidentally discharge. Common knowledge suggests 20% of CO2 cylinders leak. If personnel are around when they discharge, fatalities can occur. To inspects cylinder contents, the system is turned off, the cylinders dismantled,
Risks at sea: 33% of cargo claims are due to leaking hatch‐covers; 20% of CO2 fire extinguishing system cylinders leak
weighed and re‐installed by certified personnel, which the crew are not. 30 years ago, marine servicing companies used radioactive‐ sourced level indicators, but these were damaging to health and subject to IATA requirements. The first handheld liquid level indicator using ultrasonic technology provided a quick, accurate and safe means for anyone trained from a marine servicing company, to chief engineer or crew member ‐to test the cylinder contents. This was Portalevel®, designed and manufactured by Coltraco Ultrasonics who have since developed the technology to the 8th generation Portalevel® MAX Marine which tests all common clean agents in under 30 seconds, enabling compliance with IMO SOLAS FSS Ch.5 2.1.1.3: vessels “must have the means for the crew to check the contents of the CO2 system”.
Leaking hatchcovers? Doors & MCTs must not be forgotten
A second key problem area for vessels is the watertight integrity: 33% of cargo claims are due to leaking hatch‐covers. Not only hatch‐covers suffer seal integrity issues, but also multiple cable transit areas, cable penetrations between bulkheads or watertight compartment doors. Historically the industry used high pressure water hoses or chalk compression to test. These methods are messy, inaccurate, time‐consuming and the environmental implications of water run‐off is costly. They can also only be conducted when the ship is in port or when the cargo holds are empty. Portascanner™ Watertight was designed by Coltraco Ultrasonics to meet the need for a clean, simple, highly accurate means to achieve watertight integrity in port, with or without cargo in the hold. It is handheld, intuitive to use, with audible and visual displays, showing the most mathematically accurate results of its type worldwide.
Dynamic states
Shipping professionals understand that any marine structure “turns and bends” as it sails, that its extent is affected by its sea, weather and its load states and that as a structure ages its integrity changes and worsens. Thus, the ability to continuously monitor the state of hatch‐covers whilst at sea is welcomed, thanks to the first fixed and semi‐fixed watertight integrity monitoring systems with remote diagnostics and alarm relay, from Coltraco. Similarly, a fire system is dynamic, so continuous monitoring provides peace of mind.
Regulation compliance & beyond
These two safety solutions are at the heart of the crew’s ability to comply with regulations. The IMO regulates for the safe operations
26 Society of Maritime Industries Handbook & Members’ Directory 2017
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