Designed and Manufactured in Great Britain

CARGO-SAFE™ Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Tester

CARGO-SAFE™ Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Tester
CARGO-SAFE™ Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Tester - Image 2
CARGO-SAFE™ Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Tester - Image 3
CARGO-SAFE™ Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Tester - Image 4
CARGO-SAFE™ Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Tester - Image 5
CARGO-SAFE™ Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Tester - Image 6
CARGO-SAFE™ Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Tester - Image 7
CARGO-SAFE™ Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Tester - Image 8
CARGO-SAFE™ Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Tester - Image 9

Reliable, Repeatable Results

5-Year calibration period
100% compliant with port and harbour regulations
Guaranteed not to pollute or damage the marine environment.
Pinpoint accuracy in detecting even the smallest holes and tears in hatch seals.
Safe for all cargo—no risk of damage during use.
Operates in all climates – from sub-zero to tropical , ensuring reliability in any conditions.
Works with cargo in place, saving time and money.
Non-intrusive—won’t interfere with crew activities.
Effortless to use, no expertise required!
Clear, easy instructions—no training needed.
Conveniently portable—can be carried as hand luggage on an aircraft.
Large Readable LCD screen, visible in any lighting conditions.
Switchable display between dB and OHV percentage, for total flexibility.

This product is designed for efficiency, simplicity, and maximum convenience—ideal for marine surveyors on the go!

See Cargo-Safe in Action

CARGO-SAFE Overview

CARGO-SAFE™ delivers precise testing for the tightness and water integrity of:

Cargo hatch covers – ensuring a perfect seal every time.
Bow and stern doors – protecting your vessel from leaks.
Access hatch seals – keeping your cargo safe and dry.
Watertight doors – maintaining vessel safety in all conditions.
Weathertight doors – shielding against harsh weather and water damage.

With CARGO-SAFE™, trust your vessel’s integrity is in top condition—quickly, easily, and reliably!

Key Benefits

Prevent Cargo Damage

Water ingress through leaking hatch covers is a leading cause of cargo damage. For ship owners, managers, and insurers, ensuring the cargo hold is watertight is crucial. Leaks often lead to costly claims against insurance companies and P&I clubs, making it essential to prevent water damage before it happens. Protect your bottom line with a guaranteed, reliable solution!

Reliable Hatch Testing

CARGO-SAFE™ is an ABS Type Approved hatch cover tester, trusted for its precision and reliability. The CARGO-SAFE™ Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Tester offers a fast, simple solution to verify the weather tightness of hatch covers, bow, stern, and side doors. Unlike traditional hose testing, it leaves no environmental impact on ports or harbors and can even be used in sub-zero temperatures, ensuring flawless performance in any conditions. Protect your cargo and the environment with CARGO-SAFE™!

How It Works

Super Easy To Use

The principle for ultrasonic testing is very simple. After the hatch covers are closed, a transmitter generating an ultrasonic signal is placed in the cargo hold (empty or loaded with cargo) emitting ultrasonic waves. The surveyor or operator then uses the CARGO-SAFE™ ultrasonic receiver to ‘listen’ from the outside of the hold and detect any ultrasonic sounds that pass through holes in the hatch cover sealing system with pin-point accuracy. The size of the problem can be established from the strength of the signal detected.

From Box To Survey in 5 Easy Steps

The CARGO-SAFE™ Transmitter is placed in the cargo.

On the deck, with the hatches closed, the microphone and headphones are plugged into the Receiver.

The surveyor begins to inspect the hatch, holding the microphone against the hatch seals. Any gaps through which air or water can pass will allow the ultrasonic signal to pass and can be detected.

The display on the Receiver shows the decibel level of any ultrasound leaking through the hatch seals. It can also be heard through the headphones.

The flexible microphone and the extension arm allow the position of any potential leaks to be identified with pin-point accuracy. The size of the problem is established by the strength of the signal detected.

Key Features

The CARGO-SAFE Ultrasonic Hatch Cover Tester (as opposed to Hose Testing)

  • Compliant with port and harbour environment management plans as it does not pollute the marine environment
  • Can locate holes and tears in hatch seals with pinpoint accuracy
  • Causes no damage to cargo
  • Can be conducted in sub-zero temperatures
  • Can be carried out with the cargo in place
  • Does not interfere with other crew activities.
  • Only one person operation

THE COMPLETE CARGO-SAFE™ KIT INCLUDES

  • Each CARGO-SAFE™ ultrasonic hatch cover tester comes with its own certificate of calibration and conformity.
  • No training needed to operate – full instructions given.
  • Simple to use, fast and accurate results.
  • Switchable between dB (decibels) and percentage of OHV (Open Hatch Value).
  • Does not need frequent periodic recalibration.
  • Suitable to be carried as hand luggage on aircraft.
  • The most powerful ultrasonic hatch tester available on the market with a 157 dB transmitter – suitable for any size of ship.
  • 3 year warranty on Receiver and Transmitter units.
  • Durable and storm proof, environmental protection to IP66.
  • LCD display allows ease of reading in bright sun-shine or in darkness.
  • LED and sound warning of low battery on the Transmitter.
  • Direct access to free technical support for the life of the product.

Technical Specification

CARGO-SAFE™ is a lightweight ultrasonic system for testing the water tightness of cargo hatch covers.

The complete system is contained in one carry case for convenient transportation.
  • Shipping Weight: 4kg (8.8lb)
  • Operational Weight: 2.4kg (5.3lb) without additional microphones and charging units
Transmitter
  • Weight – 475g (1.05lb)
  • Dimensions – 190 x 100 x 60 mm (max) (7.5” x 3.9” x 2.4”)
  • Output – 157 dB @ 40 khZ
  • Radio control standby to save battery life when not in use
  • Power supply – 6 x AA rechargeable or alkaline batteries with 4.5 hours of operation
  • Weather-resistant leather case to IP66, designed to protect if dropped.
  • Neck strap for easy hands-free use
Receiver
  • Weight – 350g (12.3oz)
  • Dimensions – 160 x 100 x 30mm (6.3” x 3.9” x 1.2”)
  • Power supply – 1 x 9v PP3 rechargeable or alkaline battery with 40 hours nominal usage
  • Switchable between dB and percentage of Open Hatch Value (OHV)
  • Can be used with headphones, or an internal loudspeaker can be used instead
  • Can be used with a microphone, or internal microphone in the event of mic loss
  • Weather-resistant leather case – IP66, designed to protect if dropped
  • MAX HOLD capability to record maximum readings
  • Backlight button with ON/OFF or automatic OFF after 30 seconds for battery saving when not in use
  • Radio control button to switch from ON/Standby/OFF etc
  • Neck and waist straps for hands-free use
Microphone
  • Weight – 110g (3.9oz)
  • Dimensions – 330 x 10mm diameter (13” x 0.4”)
  • Bright yellow to aid visibility
Headphones
  • Weight – 50g (1.7oz)
  • 5mm stereo jack plug
  • Hard hat compatible
Emitter, Microphone and Extension Arm Tester
  • Weight – 17g (0.6oz)
  • Dimensions – 46 x 31 x 20mm (1.8″ x 1.2″ x 0.8″)
  • It is used to check the performance of the emitters, microphone, and the extension arm of the CARGO-SAFE™ before a survey
Extension Arm
  • Weight – 150g (5.3oz
  • Dimensions – 390 x 40 x 30 mm (15.4” x 1.8” x 1.2”)
  • Dimensions when extended: 1150 x 40 x 30mm (45.3″ x 1.8″ x 1.2″)
  • Wrist strap for hands free use
Spare Microphone and Emergency Lead
  • To be used in the event of either microphone or extension arm loss
Battery Charger and Batteries
  • 12 x rechargeable AA batteries (for transmitter)
  • 2x PP3 9v batteries (for receiver)
  • Global battery charger with car adapter
Emergency Power Lead
  • For emergency power to the transmitter in the instance of a failed battery
  • Can accept an external power supply of 9 to 24 volts DC

Certifications and Accreditations Section

We are accredited by some incredible organisations
NATO
Ministry of Defence
American Bureau of Shipping (ABS)
ISO 9001:2015
IMarEST
IIMS
Royal Institute of Naval Architects
CARGO-SAFE ACCREDITIATIONS

American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) TYPE APPROVED Certificate Number LD750707
ISO 9001:2015 Certificate Number GB13487
International Institute of Marine Surveyors (IIMS) Corporate Membership Number C508
NATO Commercial And Government Entity (NCAGE) Code U0B22
CARGO-SAFE NATO Stock Number 6635-99-958-4633

What’s In The Box?

  • Ultrasonic Transmitter unit
  • Receiver unit
  • Hard hat compatible headphones
  • 2 Flexible inspection microphones (1 spare)
  • Protective IP66 storm-proof leather cases with neck and waist straps for hands free operation
  • Telescopic microphone extension, up to 1.15m
  • Full operating instructions
  • Emergency microphone lead
  • Emitter, microphone and extension arm tester
  • 12-24V auxiliary power input lead
  • Batteries and global charger (with 12V car adaptor)
  • 450 x 320 x 100mm carry case
  • Total weight of kit in carry case as shown: 2.7kg
  • Operational weight 2.4kg

Calibration And Maintenance

We give you a 5-Year Calibration Certificate and offer Recalibration

The CARGO-SAFE™ is sold with a device that can be used to check the emitters, the inspection microphones, the extension arm and the microphone emergency lead (The EMEA Tester). It is recommended that this is complete between each survey to ensure accurate results.

The CARGO-SAFE™ hatch leak detector is calibrated at the factory and we predict it will stay calibrated for 5 years.

The constant output circuitry guarantees that the ultrasonic output of the transmitter is constant throughout the entire battery life. You can see this by the green flashing LED’s.

Testimonials

Your trust and support have been essential in making this year a success.

Pyo-Jun, South Korea

The best product on the market.
I wouldn’t buy from anyone else.

Jurgen, the Netherlands

Great products, great service, can’t wait to do business with you again

Captain V, Greece

Certificates & ABS Type Approval Compliance

Each CARGO-SAFE™ unit is sold with a certificate of calibration and conformity, with full warranty and all details of serial numbers. This is evident in each units calibration and ABS type approval compliance.

The CARGO-SAFE™ comes with a certificate of origin proving it is manufactured in the United Kingdom.

The CARGO-SAFE™ hatch cover tester complies with the IACS UR Z.17 directive.

Frequently Asked Questions

The main cause of damage to cargo is the ingress of water through leaking hatch covers. It is in the best interests of ship owners, managers and insurers to guarantee the ships cargo holds are watertight. If water does leak through hatch covers, it often results in large claims against insurance companies and P&I clubs.

CARGO-SAFE™ is an ABS Type Approved hatch cover tester. The CARGO-SAFE™ UT tester provides a quick and simple method of establishing weather-resistant tightness of hatch covers, bow, stern and side doors.

Unlike hose testing, the CARGO-SAFE™ has no negative side effects on the port or harbour environment and can be performed in sub-zero temperatures.

The main cause of damage to cargo is the ingress of water through leaking hatch covers. It is in the best interests of ship owners, managers and insurers to guarantee the ships cargo holds are watertight. If water does leak through hatch covers, it often results in large claims against insurance companies and P&I clubs.

CARGO-SAFE™ is an ABS Type Approved hatch cover tester. The CARGO-SAFE™ UT tester provides a quick and simple method of establishing weather-resistant tightness of hatch covers, bow, stern and side doors.

Unlike hose testing, the CARGO-SAFE™ has no negative side effects on the port or harbour environment and can be performed in sub-zero temperatures.

In the field of ultrasonic hatch cover testing, the importance of a powerful transmitter cannot be overstated. Imagine the hold of a cargo ship a vast space comparable in scale to a grand church or mosque. To thoroughly inspect it for potential leaks, ultrasound technology is essential.

The key to effective leak detection is the ability to detect even the faintest ultrasound emissions. Compliance with regulations requires precision within a margin of just +/-1%. Achieving this level of accuracy demands a significant Opening Hatch Value (OHV), measured in decibels. The strength of this value is crucial; if it’s too low, the results will be inaccurate.

Class Instrumentation Ltd’s Cargo-Safe is the most powerful ultrasonic transmitter available, with an impressive output of 157 decibels, making it unmatched in the market. To explore its full capabilities, visit here.

Achieving a consistent ultrasound level throughout the vast expanse of a cargo hold on a bulk carrier presents a significant challenge. Not only does it require substantial power, but also a method to evenly disperse the energy emitted from the transmitter to uniformly saturate the area. The arrangement of the 13 emitters on the transmitter must therefore be meticulously designed to emit energy in a precise pattern for effective distribution.

Class Instrumentation Ltd has perfectly engineered the positioning and angles of each of the 13 emitters to tackle this complex task with precision ensuring optimal performance. https://www.classltd.com/cargo-safe-ultrasonic-hatch-cover-tester/

Ensuring prolonged battery life is crucial when conducting leak detection on hatch covers aboard a bulk carrier. Avoiding the inconvenience of battery changes is paramount. At Class Instrumentation Ltd, we’ve integrated a proprietary circuit designed to sustain transmitter power consistently, regardless of battery voltage, until only 10% of battery power remains. This innovative feature extends equipment performance, doubling the operational time compared to conventional circuits. With this enhancement, our equipment can confidently complete surveys on Capesize bulk carriers using just one set of batteries.https://www.classltd.com/cargo-safe-ultrasonic-hatch-cover-tester/

The CARGO-SAFE can be used on any vessel between Handysize to Capesize. For vessels smaller then Handysize we recommend our DOOR-SAFE or CABIN-SAFE products.

Yes, we supply products all over the globe using DHL as our delivery partners.