{"id":4036,"date":"2026-06-04T09:00:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T02:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/?p=4036"},"modified":"2026-06-03T16:19:41","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T09:19:41","slug":"why-a-closed-hatch-cover-is-not-always-a-watertight-hatch-cover","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/en\/why-a-closed-hatch-cover-is-not-always-a-watertight-hatch-cover\/","title":{"rendered":"WHY A CLOSED HATCH COVER IS NOT ALWAYS A WATERTIGHT HATCH COVER?"},"content":{"rendered":"

When wet cargo is discovered at the discharge port, heavy weather is often the first explanation. In many cases, however, the root cause existed long before the vessel encountered rough seas.<\/span><\/p>\n

After more than 20 years attending loading operations and hatch inspections, one lesson remains consistent: A closed hatch cover is not necessarily a watertight hatch cover.<\/span><\/p>\n

Before signing a Hatch Closure Report, there are three critical areas we always inspect:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Non-Return Valves & Drain Channels<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    A clean drain channel alone is not enough. If a non-return valve is seized or blocked by cargo residues, water cannot drain effectively, increasing the risk of moisture ingress into the cargo hold.<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Rubber Gaskets<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      Visible damage is only part of the picture. Loss of elasticity, permanent deformation, and uneven compression can significantly reduce sealing performance, even when a gasket appears intact.<\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Compression Bars<\/strong><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        A gasket can only perform as well as the surface it seals against. Corrosion, wear, or distortion of compression bars can compromise watertight integrity and increase the likelihood of cargo damage.<\/span><\/p>\n

        Why These Components Matter<\/span><\/p>\n

        At the loading port, these findings rarely delay a vessel. At the discharge port, they often become the first items examined during a cargo claim investigation.<\/span><\/p>\n

          \n
        • A blocked valve.<\/span><\/li>\n
        • A hardened gasket.<\/span><\/li>\n
        • A worn compression bar.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          Individually, each may appear insignificant. Together, they can create the conditions for costly cargo damage.<\/span><\/p>\n

          The VM Control Approach<\/span><\/p>\n

          Our hatch cover inspections focus on identifying potential weaknesses before the vessel sails. Through detailed examination and proper documentation, we help shipowners, operators, charterers, and cargo interests reduce the risk of avoidable cargo claims.<\/span><\/p>\n

          Because a hatch cover does not become watertight simply because it is closed.<\/span><\/p>\n

          It becomes watertight only when every component of the sealing system performs as designed.<\/span><\/p>\n

          \ud83d\ude9b\u2693<\/strong>EVERY GATEWAY \u2013 ONE SPEED<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

          \ud83d\udccd Ho Chi Minh City \u2794 Ba Ria \u2013 Vung Tau \u2794 Cai Mep \u2794 Quy Nhon \u2794 Da Nang \u2794 Hai Phong\u2026.<\/span><\/p>\n

          \u26a1 4 HOURS: On-site Attendance \u26a1 12 HOURS: Survey Completion \u26a1 24 HOURS: Certificate Issuance<\/span><\/p>\n

          CONTACT INFORMATION<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

          VIET MARINE CONTROL JOINT STOCK COMPANY \u2013 VM CONTROL<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

          \ud83d\udccd Address: 1831\/10\/9 Huynh Tan Phat Street, Quarter 2, Nha Be Commune, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam<\/span><\/p>\n

          \ud83d\udcde Hotline: +84 981 600 440 \/ +84 918 114 742<\/span><\/p>\n

          \ud83c\udf10 Website: www.vietmarinecontrol.com.vn<\/span><\/p>\n

          \ud83d\udce7 Email: survey@vietmarinecontrol.com.vn<\/span><\/p>\n

          \ud83d\udd35 Linkedin: www.linkedin.com\/in\/vm-control-234252386<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

          \ud83d\udce9 Contact us today to learn more about our inspection and survey services.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":4035,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[22],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4036","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4036","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4036"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4036\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4041,"href":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4036\/revisions\/4041"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4035"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4036"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4036"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vietmarinecontrol.com.vn\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4036"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}