Asia Maritime Pacific Purchases 20 Cygnus Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Leak Detectors

Mariso Secures Purchase Contract for 20 Cygnus Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Leak Detectors with Asia Maritime Pacific (AMP)

With the support of Cygnus Instruments Ltd, Mariso has successfully signed a purchase contract for 20 Cygnus Hatch Sure leak detectors with Asia Maritime Pacific (Shanghai).

Cygnus Instruments Ltd is an established and trusted manufacture of ultrasonic inspection equipment across the marine industry and is considered as a leader in high quality ultrasonic solutions that are extremely durable and simple to use. The Cygnus Hatch Sure leak detector is a purpose-designed, robust and very lightweight system; as such it has become the market leader for ultrasonic hatch cover inspections and is the preferred choice of multi-national ship management companies across the globe who want to test covers quickly, accurately and cost effectively.

Mariso is one of Cygnus’ long-standing Distributors and Service Centres for inspection equipment who provide a professional and first-class service around the globe. In April 2018, Mariso were able to secure a contract for 20 Cygnus Hatch Sure Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Leak Detectors with Asia Maritime Pacific (Shanghai) Limited which belongs to Asia Maritime Pacific Group (AMP).

AMP owns and controls a significant fleet of over forty vessels. Their vessels operate internationally, with a focus on China-West Africa, China-Australia and Atlantic dry bulk trades. The mini-MPP fleet operates on the intra-Asia and Australian dry bulk trades. The company is headquartered in Hong Kong, with offices in Shanghai, Beijing, Tokyo, London and Douala and Texas.

Ultrasonic hatch cover testing is the most accurate, repeatable and convenient method of testing hatch covers, doors, ventilators and access hatches and is the preferred method of inspection by P&I Clubs.

Cygnus Hatch Sure is Type Approved and accepted by all P&I Clubs and the Hatch Sure system comprises of two main components: a powerful ultrasound transmitter with 19 x 40 KHz elements and a hand-held receiver.

The system is used by placing the transmitter within the ship’s hold, conducting a quick and simple calibration and then closing down the covers. The transmitter is then switched on remotely and it will fill the hold with ultrasound; any ultrasound that escapes will be detected by the operator, who will be on the deck walking around the periphery of the covers using the receiver. Using the sensitive microphone attached to the receiver, the system allows the operator to locate ultrasound leaking through any defective seams or joints; exact locations of potential costly leaks in heavy seas or rain are quickly and easily identified.

While ultrasonic hatch-cover testing has been available since the 1980s, Cygnus Hatch Sure has advanced the current technology with fully automatic Open Hatch Calibration (OHC) to set the Open Hatch Value (OHV). This ensures consistent results from hold to hold. The transmitter is powerful enough to saturate the largest cargo hold with ultrasound and the unit has variable output with six selectable power levels - allowing it to also be used in confined spaces, in holds that are full with cargo and for ancillary applications such as the testing of watertight doors.