Ship side valve Functions, Definitions and Specification


The valves on the side of the ship / Ship-side valves on the top refer to valves that are connected to the hull, without having anything to medium with the valve on the side of the ship. During the dry dock, the valves are checked by the dry dock personnel, while the work of the ship's engineers is to check the internal valves. For total seaworthiness of the ship, the ship side valves must always be in proper condition, They must have local as well as remote control operation which must be permanently connected. Pipes of the inlet and the outlet to the sea must be provided with valves or taps attached directly to the outer coating or to the plating’s of fabricated water boxes attached to the shell plating. These accessories must be fixed with threaded bolts equipped with hazelnuts.
Heads or bolts screwed into heavy steel pads built into the plating. Screw holes must not penetrate into the plating. Valves for the Ship side Side Applications must be installed so that the pipe section can be located directly inside the valve without removing the sealed integrity of the hull. Taps and accessories of the ship, when made of steel or other approved material with low resistance to corrosion, must be adequately protected against wastage/rusting. In the visual inspection, the valves should not show any sign of defects on their body, their internals and the spindle. The Thread and other parts must be in good condition, which ensures freedom of movement in the operating conditions. Ship side valves are made and tested in accordance with the rules and regulations of the classification society in the presence of an expert.


Markings on the Ship Side valve of the Ship: The following data are marked on each side of the valve.

a) Nominal size of the drill (eg NB 80);
(b)Nominal pressure according to section 1.4.
c) Test pressure
d) Brand / seal of the manufacturer.
e) Marker / Stamp of Classification Surveyor.
f) Flow direction
g) The weight of the valve to be marked.
h) Metallic tag numbers provided with the table.

Why are they so important?

In a Ship, all that has been installed has a purpose, besides the valves on the side of the ship is controlled and supervised by the classification society. Maritime organizations (classification society and flag state) know a series of incidents of local flooding machinery space installations and averaging two reports of floods received annually. The side flaps ensure the sealed integrity of the shell and the internal working sea tube from the sea. Operation of the valves allows maintenance of pipeline equipment. They are used to prevent the ingress of water into the compartments after a failure in a pipeline or equipment. Therefore, the valves must provide a watertight barrier when closed. In normal commercial vessels, the ship is docked dry and the ship's valves are inspected to meet classification society standards. This inspection confirms the condition of the valve and closes it when closed. For installations, such as mobile drilling units of fleets or ships of intervention, the inspection may be performed by dry dock times or repair in the port, however, permanently anchored facilities these inspections are carried out. They become more complicated as the right holder must be able to demonstrate that the valve is sufficiently leak-proof and in good condition. This can be combined by a close visual inspection and on-site testing. After repairing or installing a new valve, the dry dock repair shop usually provides a 5-year warranty on these valves. However, if the valves are damaged during the warranty period, the workshop will bear the cost of the diver's time and expenses.

Listed below are few Ship-side valves that is seen on vessels.

              Name of the Valve                                Side                          Type                        Specification

1  Sea water suction for low sea chest                   Starboard      Butterfly valve           10K 550A
2  Sea water suction for high sea chest                  Port               Butterfly valve           10K 550A         
3  Sea water suction F.W.G sea chest                     Starboard      Butterfly valve           10K 125A         
4  Main cooling S.W discharge overboard             Port               Butterfly valve           10K 300A               
5  O.W.S discharge overboard                                Port              SDNR                         10K 40A          
6  Fire & G.S pump discharge overboard               Starboard     SDNR                         10K 200A             
   (fire and ballast pump)                                                             (Screw Down Non-Return valve) 
7  Steam blow valve to high sea chest                    Port              SDNR                         16K 40A            
7a Air vent for high sea chest                                 Port              Ordinary Globe valve(SDGV)   10K 40A                         
8  Steam blow valve to low sea chest                     Starboard     SDNR                         16K 40A           
8a Air vent for low sea chest                                  Starboard     SDGV                         10K 40A              
9  Steam blow valve F.W.G sea chest                     Starboard     SDNR                         16K 40A      
9a Air vent for F.W.G sea chest                              Starboard     SDGV                         10K 40A                     
10 F.W.G discharge overboard                                Port             Butterfly valve            10K 125A                         
11 Boiler blow down direct overboard                    Port            SDNR                          16K 40A               
12 Soil/waste water discharge overboard                Starboard   Storm valve                  10K 100A                         
13 Stop valve for waste water overboard                Port            Storm valve                  10K 100A                  
14 Gally/provision refer drain overboard                Starboard   Storm valve                  10K 100A                       
15 I.G system scrubber cooling tower                     Starboard   Butterfly valve             10K 200A                             
   discharge overboard 
16 Draught gauge overboard valve                          Starboard   SDGV                         10K 50A                      
17 Weather deck scupper overboard                        Port                                                125A  
18 Weather deck scupper overboard                        Starboard                                       125A  
19 Main water ballast pump discharge overboard   Port            Butterfly valve            10K 550A             
20 ODME discharge overboard                               Starboard   Butterfly valve            10K 350A    

What does K and  A stand for in specifications?

 K : is the pressure.
 A : is the Nominal diameter of the pipeline.  


*Note: The Following Article is being Originally written by one of our co-Author (Arpit Singh) on his personal website and is being re-used with proper modifications, editing and due permission. If you have any problem with any part of the content please contact us, We will act ASAP.



Author ARPIT SINGH and Amit