Ship Hull Inspection

Large blue and white ship tied down to port awaiting ship hull inspection.

Applied Technical Services offers ship hull inspection services to ensure ships can maintain safe and effective operation while meeting applicable standards. We use proven nondestructive testing methods to assess both ship hull thickness and any hull defects or damage that may be present. Hull damage could potentially grow into a larger safety hazard for both the personnel and cargo on board if left unchecked.

Common Ship Hull Defects
  • Scrapes
  • Cracks
  • Dents
  • Holes
  • Buckling
  • Corrosion
  • Leaks
  • Ruptures
  • Bulges
  • Buckling
Ships sustain hull damage for a variety of reasons. The most obvious type of damage is from direct impacts. Grounding – the impact of the ship on seabed – can cause damage to the underside of the ship. Impact damage can vary widely in severity and should be inspected as soon as possible before it develops into a more significant problem.
Ultrasonic Thickness Testing
Aside from making physical contact with foreign objects, ship hulls can also take a beating from mother nature in the form of corrosion. Rust is the most common form of corrosion, but ship hulls can suffer from galvanic, crevice, and electrolytic corrosion as well. Corrosion can eat away some of the hull material, causing loss in material thickness over time. If the paint is deteriorating, it may be a sign of corrosion underneath the paint.

To verify if hull thickness has been affected by corrosion, our NDT experts can perform ultrasonic thickness testing (UTT) as part of the ship hull inspection. UTT sends soundwaves directly into the test material and interprets the properties of the reflecting wave to report a thickness reading.

Our Inspection Method
Our technicians can safely access the ship hull by staging, climbing, using rope suspension, or using portable rubber rafts. If certain areas are hard to reach, we will flood the tanks or spaces in the hull to give our technicians more access. ATS provides clients with a detailed report that includes the original design thickness, current thickness, and percent wastage of the hull.
ATS and Ship Hull Inspection

Applied Technical Services performs nondestructive testing according to proven scientific and technical principles. All our technicians are certified to Levels I, II, or III in accordance with SNT-TC-1A of the American Society of Nondestructive Testing (ASNT). Having your ship hull inspected can prevent costly emergency dry-docking, maintain the safety of personnel and cargo, and better assess the scope and scheduling of repair. As part of our high standard for quality, we make sure to integrate our inspections with your operation and schedule. If you need a ship hull inspection, contact us today!

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