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Can valve upgrades really improve cargo safety?

SEUT Maritime AS is based in Fredrikstad, Norway, and acts as a supplier of vital products for ships, offshore equipment and industry applications.

SEUT Maritime produces around 2,000 valves per year with the help of computer numerical control centres and skilled craftsmen. It also provides consultancy and management services, including marine engineering and inspections, and provides technical management for a range of vessels and cargo, including:

  • Chemical ships;
  • Supply ships;
  • General cargo ships;
  • Bulk ships; and
  • Tanker ships.

The company combines more than 40 years of experience in maritime equipment, and manufactures equipment to the oil, petrochemical, chemical and other industries. It is especially known for manufacturing blind flange valves, which are vital to chemical LNG/LPG tankers for the complete segregation of cargo of different grades.

Why do chemical cargo ships need upgrades?

In this booklet, the company argues the case for ships to make necessary upgrades to these valves, to allow them to carry increasingly dangerous chemical cargo more safely and efficiently. In recent years, the risk level of cargo has changed, and while ships have benefited from excellent safety procedures and specification over the years and have lower accident occurrence statistics than their larger counterparts, these additional considerations could increase the safety ratings of these vessels even further.

Torbjørn Kjelvik, CEO of SEUT Maritime AS, highlights how the company upgrades all materials in valves and jointings to a standard above the highest specifications, to prevent incidents such as sudden leaks at high pressure on a valve in the cargo system during loading or unloading, which can be dangerous for the operating crew and the environment.

The booklet details SEUT Maritime’s safe cargo system, and explains how its specifications match up with global standards. It goes on to highlight the ease with which existing SEUT blind flange valves can be upgraded with the company’s new SA-5 & SA-6 operating systems. These can fit simply into already installed valves with only a simple procedure, and instructions for installing this upgrade and others are also detailed herein.