The most profitable business and the oldest business known to man is the transportation of goods globally. Since the ancient man, the trade has always been present and to this day, the concept remains the same. Transport the goods of customers safe and sound, and get rewarded with the highest possible profits. But unfortunately, as high are the rewards, the risks are even higher. The ocean is known to be the harshest thing on this planet because once a ship is caught in a storm or a high tide; there is nothing that could be done to save it. The ship can only be saved by the engineering efforts that have been put in making it and the condition of it.

Run down ships, or ships in not so terrible condition are at a great risk of capsizing while on a voyage. Unless the ship is completely water proof, there is no guarantee that it would make a successful delivery. A transport ship is a lot different than the other ships such as luxury ships and cruise ships. A transport ship is mostly made of compartments and a very strong deck to carry hundreds of containers. The lower portion is a series of compartments or cargo holds each covered with a hatch cover. The first thing that gets damaged on the transport ship is its hatch covers which need to be repaired in a constant routine.

The health of the hatch covers can be determined by checking the tightness of hatch with ultrasound. Any form of leaks or holes that might have developed in the hatch covers are easily found out through the testing. These holes and leaks are the sole reason of putting a transport ship in danger when being caught in a sea storm or a very high tide. As these holes provide an opening for the water to find a way inside the ship’s body, the water can cause havoc beyond control.

A single voyage can reap in thousands of dollars to the ship’s owners, but if the ship is in a rundown condition, the ship’s owner can get drowned in a very heavy debt if anything happens to it during the voyage. If the ship has served faithfully for some years, it is evident that it needs a schedule for hatch cover ultrasonic tightness testing and regular repairs. As long as the ship gets regular repairs, there is nothing to be afraid of and just wait for the cash to fall in. but if the ship is in dire need of repairs, then the owner should be praying for a safe voyage every time the ship leaves port.