Some of the best products are now imported from far off countries because it costs cheaper to have them imported rather than manufacturing in the country. Because of the lower labor costs in China and Asia the factories have been shifted to these countries which makes it easier to produce cheaper products. Due to the rise in the trend of shifting factories and assembly units to countries with cheaper labor rates, the import and export industry has flourished.

This age can be termed as the boom for the import and export industry also known as the shipping industry. But unfortunately this boom is often let down by the poor conditioned ships which destroy the products during the transportation. The leaking cargo holds, leaking hatch covers, leaking decks allow the humid air to tough the goods and if the ship encounters a sea storm, the entire cargo hold is filled with water as if it were a giant tub or a pool.

It is very important to have leak free and leak proof ships to ensure the safety of goods during the voyage. Hatch cover ultrasonic tightness testing is the only precautionary step that can be taken to ensure a safe and profitable voyage. By this method of testing, every tiny hole is found and it can be repaired or covered to prevent leakage of water in the cargo holds. Due to the roughness a ship endures during the loading and unloading process, even the newest ships start leaking before time.

A leaking ship is not only a threat to the goods that are loaded in it; it is also a threat to the safety of the crew onboard and to the economy as well. Imagine a country facing losses in millions on a constant basis. The loss would soon drain the industry of profits and the insurance companies would be screaming for higher premiums. The entire system would collapse and the industry would be in heavy debt.

Since the implementation of the method of checking tightness of hatch with ultrasound, the ships have become much better in conditions. Because it saves time and costs almost nothing to run the test, the ships can be sent for repairs while there is still time for the next voyage. The ultrasonic device is a blessing in disguise to the industry which has allowed it to come out of its terrible condition and make use of the old ships too.