Water damage to cargo because of malfunctioning non-return valves of vessel bilge systems is a regular cause of claims, marine insurer Skuld says in its latest member advisory. The insurer noted that in a recent case on a vessel covered by Skuld a total cargo of 2,600 tonnes of fertilizer in one of the holds was completely wetted by sea water “due to a combination of human error and technical problems with a non-return valve”.
Skuld said that, although a non-return valve has none-to-limited mechanically operating parts (depending on type), “it is advisable to carry out regular inspection / checking of the non-return valve for proper functioning, i.e. whether it is properly sealing off.”