UNIT 4

The Cargo spaces and Effective use of cargo spaces,

Cargo Holds, Twin Decks, Hold Bilges, Air Vents, Tank Top
Strength, Permissible Load, Preparation of Holds, Ventilation
Hatch Covers, Single-Pull McGregor and Fold Tite
(Hydraulic) Hatch Covers, Hatch Coating, Compression Bars,
Sponge Rubbers, Cleats, Hatch Cover Water-tightness,
Inspections
 AMBAR KAPAĞI
(HATCH COVER)
HOLD (AMBAR)
HATCH COVER (AMBAR
KAPAĞI)
HATCH (AMBAR AĞZI)

AFT PEAK TANK BALLAST TANK FORE PEAK TANK

 Cargo vessel
Modern trend, cargo hold construction

The more modern vessel, probably operating with cranes, may

be fitted with twin hatch tops to facilitate ease of operation
from both ends of a hold.
The construction of the hold tends to be spacious to accept a
variety of long cargoes.
Double hold space with or without temporary athwartships
bulkheads which can divide the hold into sections provide
flexibility to accommodate a variety of cargo types, depending
on the nature of the cargo,
Figure above shows the conventional ship design of a general cargo vessel.
Figure above shows a half profile of the athwartships bulkhead.
Square corner construction lends to reducing BS especially with
containers, pallets, vehicles or case goods.
Flush ‘bilge plate access’ is generally a feature of this type of design.
Where steel bilge covers (previously limber boards) are countersunk into
the deck so as not to obstruct cargo parcels being manoeuvred towards a
tight side or corner stow (Figure 2.2).
Weatherdeck Hatch Covers
Hatch covers must meet two principal requirements;
a. safety and,
b.ease of cargo handling operations
Hatch convers must also be cost effective, both as an initial investment and
in service, i.e. the maintenance cost has to be low and the service life long.
The design of the hatch cover must suit the various general
arrangements of dry cargo vessels.
This calls for a range of different designs in respect of size, loading,
operating systems and sealing arrangements.
The weatherdeck hatch cover on a dry cargo ship has the
following basic functions:
 in the open position it provides access to the hold for
loading and discharging cargo, and
 in the closed position it seals the hatchway in a
weathertight manner for transit in heavy seas.
With the progress of containerisation, the ability to carry
substantial deck loads has emerged as a new, essential
function for weather deck hatch covers.
As an essential part of the deck
arrangement the hatch cover has to be
“ watertight “ and has to remain so
when conditions are changed by waves,
temperature and cargo.
Ease of use clearly relates to efficiency.
From an owner’s point of view,a short
time in port is an important economical
factor.
 The conventional hatch (tween deck and lower hold (L/H)

An example of the
conventional hatch in a
general cargo ship is shown in
Figure on the right. General
cargo seen at the after end of
the L/H, while the pontoon
tween deck covers are sited
stacked in the fore end of the
tween deck

Exposed dunnage lies at the bottom of the hold where cargo has been
discharged and cargo battens can be seen at the sides of the hold. Safety guard
wires and stanchions are rigged around the tween deck in compliance with
safety regulations
This type of hatch was previously covered by
wooden hatch boards or slabs but these have been
superseded by steel hatch covers.
MAIN TYPES OF HATCH COVERS
State-of-the-art hatch covers can be divided into three basic types:
lift-away covers on container carriers,
folding covers on general cargo ships.
 side-rolling covers on bulk carriers, and
However, folding covers can also be installed on geared bulk
carriers and lift-away panels on general cargo ships.
If stowage space is not available, rolling covers (mostly in the
longitudinal direction) can also be built as stacking covers, i.e. two
or more panels are stacked hydraulically on top of each other and
the stack is rolled along the coaming as the cargo work requires.
Lift-away weatherdeck hatch covers are available
in two applications as single or multiple units.
Single units are very often used on cellular container vessels and comprise
one single panel for each hatch opening. Multi panel types are used where
more than one panel is used for covering of one hatch opening.
Lift-away covers are designed for specified loads often expressed in
number of tiers of containers.
Lift-away covers are removed by ship`s gear or shore based cranes
using corresponding tackle or container spreaders. The covers are
provided with sealing and cleating systems, centering devices and
various number of container foundations.
PONTOON TYPE COVERS
 SIMPLE CONSTRUCTION
 EASY TO OPERATE
 SHIP’S CRANE OPERATED
 LESS MAINTENANCE
 COST-EFFECTIVE
FOLDTITE COVERS

1.FOLDTITE COVERS ARE

COMMONLY USED IN GENERAL
CARGO VESSELS AND SMALL BULK
CARRIERS ON LONG OPENINGS.

2.THESE HATCH COVERS CONSIST

OF THREE TO SIX PANELS PER
HATCH END, TYPICAL
ARRANGEMENTS BEING 2+4 AND
4+4 PANELS.
 FOLDING COVERS

1.FOLDING COVERS ARE COMMONLY

USED IN SMALLER VESSELS.

2.SHIP’S CRANES ARE USED TO OPERATE

3.TRADITIONAL FOLDING COVERS

CONSIST OF TWO PANELS PER
OPENING STOWED TO ONE END (2+0
ARRANGEMENT) OR FOUR PANELS
PER OPENING STOWED TO BOTH
ENDS (2+2 ARRANGEMENT).
Two-panel folding hatch cover Multi-folding hatch cover
 SIDE ROLLING COVERS

 SIDE ROLLING COVERS ARE

COMMONLY USED ON LARGE DRY
BULK CARRIERS AND OBO SHIPS.

 THE TRADITIONAL SIDE ROLLING

COVERS CONSIST OF TWO PANELS
PER HATCH, EACH PANEL ROLLING
SIDEWAYS ON A PAIR OF
TRANSVERSE TRACKS, THUS
FORMING A MINIMUM OBSTACLE
FOR THE LOADING OR UNLOADING
EQUIPMENT.
Folding (hydraulic operated) hatch covers
The more modern method of operating steel hatch covers is by hydraulics,
opening the sections in folding pairs, either single, double or triple pair sections
(Figures 2.8 and 2.9).
Operationallyone man could close up five or six hatches very quickly by
switching on the hydraulic pumps, releasing the locking bars to the stowed
sections and operating the control levers designated to each set of covers.
The main disadvantage of hydraulic operations is that the possibility of a burst
pipe is always possible, with subsequent cargo damage due to hydraulic oil
spillage.
Single pull fixed chain hatch covers
These are automated covers with self drive by built in electric motors (see inset,
Figure 2.10). All operations for open and closing the hatch are by push button
control. Inclusive of raising the lowering of the covers and operation of the
cleating. If desired, these covers can be supplied with sufficient strength and the
necessary container location sockets to permit the load on top of deck-mounted
containers.
4 HATCH COVERS PER HATCH

 PARTIAL USE
OPPORTUNITY
 SUITABLE FOR DROP
CARGO
 SHIP’S CRANE
OPERATED
 LESS MAINTENANCE
 EASY TO OPERATE
MAIN ELEMENTS OF HATCH COVERS
(SINGLE PULL MAC GREGOR)
ECCENTRIC WHEEL & SPONGE RUBBERS
 WATERTIGHTNESS (weather-tightnes)
Once cleated down, a hard rubber seal is created around the hatch top
perimeter providing a watertight seal, on virtually all types of covers.
Hydraulically operated covers cause a pressure to generate the seal,
while mechanical cleating (dogs) provide an additional securing to the
cargo space below.

Sealing between hatch

covers and
coaming is generally
achieved by sliding
rubber packing which is
fitted to the panels and
tightens against the top
of the coaming.
HYDRAULIC HATCH COVER ELEVATORS
RAISED TRACKWAY

HATCH
COVER

DRAIN CHANNEL

DECK HOLD
WATER LEAKAGE DRAINS (4 PER HATCH )
ECCENTRIC WHEEL
QUICK ACTING CLEAT
SIDE CLEATS ARE BATTENED DOWN
HATCH COVER
 MISALIGNMENT
AND OR
CARELESS
UTILIZATION OF
CARGO GEAR
ALWAYS END UP
WITH DAMAGE.
DAMAGED HATCH COVER

 ANOTHER DAMAGED HATCH

COVER NEEDS TO BE
REPAIRED.
 THIS SORT OF DAMAGE CAN
ONLY BE REPAIRED IN
FACTORY.
HATCH COVER
 OFFICER ON DUTY MUST
ALWAYS BE ON DECK AND
SUPERVISE THE OPERATION.
OIL TIGHT HATCHCOVER
These hatch covers are small in size and may have butterfly nut locking
arrangement.
The sealing is done by Hi-nitrile rubber which is not affected by oil.
BULKER’S CARGO HOLD
HOLD LADDERS
AUSTRALIAN LADDERS