As President of International MacGregor I am deeply indebted to the authors of this excellent book for the very considerable amount of work and scholarship it contains. It is the first authoritative work on cargo access equipment to be pubbshed and I am sure that it will be greatly welcomed by the Marine Industries. You will see from the authors' preface that the book was commissioned by the Henri Kummerman Foundation which was established in 1976 to assist and promote internationally research and development in the field of marine transportation and cargo handling. The Foundation has already made a number of grants to universities and to students but this book is its first major contribution to the furthering of education in the Marine Industries. For me, it is a rewarding fruition of a long involvement in maritime affairs. However, much requires to be done in the future and the Foundation can only succeed if it is encouraged and assisted by people who are forward thinking. I should be pleased therefore to hear from any readers of this book if they feel that they can help or be helped within the aims and objectives of the Foundation. 28 Chemin du Pommier, HENRI KUMMERMAN 1218 Geneva, Switzerland.

1 The Early Development of Hatch Covers.- 1.1 Introduction to the access problem.- 1.2 Early hatch covers.- 1.3 Failings of wooden hatch covers.- 1.3.1 Safety and security.- 1.3.2 Cargo.- 1.3.3 Maintenance.- 1.4 The coming of steel hatch covers.- 1.5 Steel hatches after 1927.- 2 Cargoes and Ships.- Summary.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 Dry bulk trades.- 2.2.1 Iron ore.- 2.2.2 Coal.- 2.2.3 Grain.- 2.2.4 Bauxite and phosphates.- 2.2.5 Forest products.- 2.2.6 Steel products.- 2.2.7 Other bulk commodities.- 2.3 Bulk liquid trades.- 2.4 Break-bulk general cargo.- 2.5 Unitized cargo.- 2.5.1 Containers.- 2.5.2 Pallets.- 2.5.3 Roll-on/roll-off trades.- 2.5.4 Barges.- 2.6 Cargo handling.- 2.6.1 Derricks.- 2.6.2 Cranes.- 2.6.3 Other shipboard cargo transfer equipment.- 2.6.4 Gearless vessels.- 2.6.5 Temporary cargo gear.- 2.6.6 Horizontal loading.- 2.6.7 Port handling facilities.- 2.6.8 Cargo stowage.- 2.7 General arrangement of ships.- 2.7.1 Hull form and dimensions.- 2.7.2 Location of the machinery space.- 2.7.3 Deck layout.- 2.8 Dry cargo ship types.- 2.8.1 Ore and bulk carriers.- 2.8.2 Combination carriers.- 2.8.3 Multi-purpose and general cargo ships.- 2.8.4 Cellular container ships.- 2.8.5 Ro-Ro/unit-load vessels.- 2.8.6 Ro-Ro vessels.- 2.8.7 Vehicle carriers.- 2.8.8 Barge carriers.- 3 The Influence of Cargo Access Equipment on Ships' Performance.- Summary.- 3.1 The cost of time in port.- 3.2 Delays in port.- 3.3 Benefits of reduced time in port.- References.- 4 General Requirements for Access Equipment.- Summary.- 4.1 Regulatory requirements.- 4.1.1 Rules governing cargo access equipment.- 4.1.2 1966 International Load Line Convention.- 4.1.3 Freeboard.- 4.1.4 Freeboard deck.- 4.1.5 Weathertightness and watertightness.- 4.1.6 Statutory regulations.- 4.2 Vertical loading ships.- 4.2.1 Hatches and tonnage.- 4.2.2 Tween-deck ships with exempt spaces.- 4.2.3 Universal Tonnage Measurement System.- 4.3 Horizontal loading ships.- 4.3.1 Roll-on/roll-off ships.- 4.3.2 Openings in vehicle deck.- 4.3.3 Bow, side and stern doors.- 4.3.4 Collision bulkheads.- 4.3.5 Other watertight bulkheads.- 4.4 Operational requirements.- 4.5 General considerations for access equipment.- 4.5.1 Coaming height.- 4.5.2 Cover stowage.- 4.5.3 Deck openings.- 4.5.4 Drainage.- 4.5.5 Lashing of cargo.- 4.5.6 Maintainability.- 4.6 Fabrication and installation.- 4.7 Safety.- References.- 5 Access Equipment in Vertical Loading Ships.- Summary.- 5.1 Types of hatch covers.- 5.1.1 Definitions used in the text.- 5.2 Single pull covers.- 5.2.1 Description.- 5.2.2 Operation.- 5.2.3 Construction.- 5.2.4 Stowage.- 5.2.5 Cleating arrangements.- 5.2.6 Weathertightness.- 5.2.7 Drive systems.- 5.2.8 Weight.- 5.2.9 Applications.- 5.3 Folding covers (hydraulic or wire-operated).- 5.3.1 Description.- 5.3.2 Operation.- 5.3.3 Construction.- 5.3.4 Stowage.- 5.3.5 Cleating.- 5.3.6 Weathertightness.- 5.3.7 Drive systems.- 5.3.8 Weight.- 5.3.9 Applications.- 5.4 Direct pull covers.- 5.4.1 Description.- 5.4.2 Operation.- 5.4.3 Construction.- 5.4.4 Stowage.- 5.4.5 Cleating.- 5.4.6 Weathertightness.- 5.4.7 Drive system.- 5.4.8 Weight.- 5.4.9 Applications.- 5.5 Roll stowing covers - 'Rolltite'.- 5.5.1 Description.- 5.5.2 Operation.- 5.4.3 Construction.- 5.5.4 Stowage.- 5.5.5 Cleating.- 5.5.6 Weathertightness.- 5.5.7 Drive systems.- 5.5.8 Weight.- 5.5.9 Applications.- 5.6 Side and end rolling covers.- 5.6.1 Description.- 5.6.2 Operation.- 5.6.3 Construction.- 5.6.4 Stowage.- 5.6.5 Cleating.- 5.6.6 Weathertightness.- 5.6.7 Drive systems.- 5.6.8 Weight.- 5.6.9 Applications.- 5.7 Lift and roll covers (piggy-back).- 5.7.1 Description.- 5.7.2 Operation.- 5.7.3 Construction.- 5.7.4 Stowage.- 5.7.5 Cleating.- 5.7.6 Weathertightness.- 5.7.7 Drive systems.- 5.7.8 Weight.- 5.7.9 Applications.- 5.8 Sliding tween-deck covers.- 5.8.1 Description.- 5.8.2 Operation.- 5.8.3 Construction.- 5.8.4 Stowage.- 5.8.5 Cleating and weathertightness.- 5.8.6 Drive systems.- 5.8.7 Weight.- 5.8.8 Applications.- 5.9 Pontoon covers.- 5.9.1 Description.- 5.9.2 Operation.- 5.9.3 Construction.- 5.9.4 Stowage.- 5.9.5 Cleating.- 5.9.6 Weathertightness.- 5.9.7 Drive systems.- 5.9.8 Weight.- 5.9.9 Applications.- 5.10 Telescopic covers.- 5.10.1 Description.- 5.10.2 Operation.- 5.10.3 Construction.- 5.10.4 Stowage space.- 5.10.5 Cleating.- 5.10.6 Weathertightness.- 5.10.7 Applications.- 5.11 Flexible rolling covers.- 5.11.1 Description.- 5.11.2 Operation.- 5.11.3 Construction.- 5.11.4 Stowage.- 5.11.5 Cleating and weathertightness.- 5.11.6 Drive systems.- 5.11.7 Applications.- 5.12 Miscellaneous covers.- 5.12.1 Deep tank covers.- 5.12.2 Beams and boards covers.- 5.12.3 Tank hatches.- 6 Access Equipment for Horizontal Loading Ships.- Summary.- 6.1 Design philosophy.- 6.1.1 Traffic movements.- 6.1.2 Cargo handling methods.- 6.1.3 Cargo handling methods in different types of ships.- 6.2 Ro-Ro access equipment.- 6.3 Ramps.- 6.3.1 General.- 6.3.2 Slopes or gradients.- 6.3.3 Ramp width.- 6.3.4 Ramp length.- 6.3.5 Quay pressure.- 6.3.6 Construction.- 6.3.7 Heeling.- 6.3.8 Stowage.- 6.3.9 Types of external ramps.- 6.3.10 Types of internal ramps.- 6.4 Bow openings.- 6.4.1 Bow visors.- 6.4.2 Bow doors.- 6.4.3 Use of how access.- 6.5 Elevators.- 6.5.1 General considerations.- 6.5.2 Types of elevators.- 6.5.3 Powering systems.- 6.5.4 Control systems.- 6.5.5 Sealing.- 6.5.6 Use of elevators in ships.- 6.6 Side doors.- 6.6.1 General.- 6.6.2 Types of side doors.- 6.6.3 Use of side ports in ships.- 6.7 Bulkhead doors.- 6.7.1 General.- 6.7.2 Types of bulkhead doors.- 6.7.3 Applications.- 6.8 Car decks.- 6.8.1 General.- 6.8.2 Types of car deck.- 6.8.3 Applications.- 6.9 Dimensions and weights.- References.- 7 Ship Design and Selection of Access Equipment - Bulk Cargo.- Summary.- 7.1 Access equipment for ships carrying dry bulk cargoes.- 7.1.1 Range of bulk cargoes.- 7.1.2 Large bulk carriers.- 7.1.3 Medium and small bulk carriers.- 7.1.4 Ore carriers.- 7.1.5 Combination carriers.- 7.1.6 Forest product carriers.- 7.1.7 Other specialized bulk carriers.- 7.2 Choice of type of hatch cover.- 7.2.1 Check list: considerations in selecting hatch cover types.- 7.2.2 Bulk carrier hatch covers.- 7.3 Economic evaluation of alternative equipment.- 7.3.1 Comparing costs of access equipment.- 7.3.2 Example of simple economic evaluation.- References.- 8 Ship Design and Selection of Access Equipment - General Cargo.- Summary.- 8.1 Multi-deck break-bulk ships.- 8.1.1 Conventional ships.- 8.1.2 Variants of the conventional multi-decker.- 8.2 Container ships.- 8.2.1 Cellular ships.- 8.2.2 Container ship variants.- 8.3 Roll-on/Roll-off ships.- 8.3.1 Passenger/Vehicle ferries.- 8.3.2 Short sea freight Roll-on/Roll-off ships.- 8.3.3 Deep sea Roll-on/Roll-off ships.- 8.3.4 Other Ro-Ro vessels.- 8.4 Specialized cargo vessels.- 8.4.1 Refrigerated ships.- 8.4.2 Barge carriers.- 8.4.3 Heavy lift ships.- 8.4.4 Miscellaneous ship types.- 8.5 What sorts of ships are best for general cargo?.- 8.5.1 General considerations.- 8.5.2 The cellular container ship versus the Ro-Ro.- 8.5.3 Break-hulk cargoes.- References.- 9 Specific Design Requirements for Access Equipment.- Summary.- 9.1 Hatch covers.- 9.1.1 Structural regulations.- 9.1.2 Loads.- 9.1.3 Scantlings.- 9.1.4 Deformation.- 9.2 Access equipment in horizontal loading ships.- 9.2.1 Structural regulations.- 9.2.2 Loads.- 9.2.3 Scantlings.- 9.2.4 Hull deformation.- 9.3 Advanced design techniques.- 9.4 Seals.- 9.4.1 Gasket arrangements for hatch covers.- 9.4.2 Gasket materials.- 9.4.3 Compression bars.- 9.4.4 Gasket arrangements for Ro-Ro access equipment.- 9.5 Construction materials.- 9.5.1 Higher tensile steel.- 9.5.2 Aluminium.- 9.5.3 Glass reinforced plastic.- 9.5.4 Wood.- 9.6 Miscellaneous.- 9.6.1 Fire regulations.- 9.6.2 Actuating mechanisms.- 9.6.3 Ventilators.- 9.6.4 Operation in arctic conditions.- References.- 10 Access Equipment in Service.- Summary.- 10.1 Cargo claims.- 10.1.1 Seaworthiness.- 10.1.2 Cargo claims arising from sea water entry.- 10.2 Hatch cover surveys.- 10.2.1 Pre-departure checks for hatch seals.- 10.3 Hatch cover defects.- 10.4 Some reasons for hatch leakage.- 10.4.1 Deformation of hull and hatch covers.- 10.4.2 Accidental deformation of hatches.- 10.4.3 Improper battening down.- 10.4.4 Permanent setting down of gaskets.- 10.4.5 Corrosion.- 10.4.6 Blocked drainage channels.- 10.4.7 Seals and cross joints.- 10.5 Hatch cover maintenance.- 10.5.1 Planned maintenance.- 10.5.2 Maintenance facilities provided by manufacturers.- 10.5.3 General maintenance.- 10.6 Hatch cover maintenance costs.- 10.7 Ro-Ro access equipment maintenance.- 10.8 Ship conversion.- 10.8.1 General considerations.- 10.8.2 Examples of ship conversion.- References.- 11 Recent Developments and Prospects.- Summary.- 11.1 Recent developments.- 11.1.1 Ro-Ro.- 11.1.2 Hatch covers.- 11.1.3 New ships - BORO and barge carriers.- 11.2 Influences on change.- 11.2.1 Patterns of change.- 11.2.2 Trade.- 11.2.3 Environment.- 11.2.4 Cargo form.- 11.2.5 Regulations.- 11.3 Ship types.- 11.3.1 Tug-barges.- 11.3.2 Barge carriers.- 11.3.3 Bulk carriers.- 11.3.4 Future ship types.- 11.4 Materials.- 11.5 Innovation.