Multiple Cable Transits (MCT’s) despite being “Critical Safety Equipment” and required by Classification Societies and Statutory Authorities, are often over looked in the industry. This critical safety equipment is utilized for multiple purposes:
- Compartment Watertight Integrity
- Compartment Fire Barrier Integrity
- Hazardous Area Zone Integrity
- Shock and Vibration Proof of Transits
- Protection of Cables and Damage from Chaffing
- Sound Proofing Compartments
These characteristics prevent flooding and fires spreading from adjacent spaces.
MCT’s are required by Classification Societies and Statutory Authorities, which is inspected during their various inspections. MCT integrity and maintenance has become an important focus in recent years due to several incidences of vessels near sinking and new legislation is to be introduced to maintain registers.
Globally there is a profound issue where vendor guidelines for the assembly packing of MCT’s have not been adhered to. Worse still, older installations MCT’s have been compromised by service or maintenance personnel. Some examples include:
- Not packed/assembled correctly installed from the outset
- Blocks inadvertently removed for more cable or piping
- Holes drilled in the blocks
- Identification removed
- General inappropriate maintenance
- No accurate register exists
Proper management of MCT transit blocks is crucial in order to significantly mitigate the risks of the following real hazards:
- Cross compartment flooding
- Fire
- Spread of hazardous gas leakage
Part of an effective management plan should include a MCT survey, that details where every MCT is located, along with its specifications and last inspection date.
To maintain the transit block suitability, all cables and pipes installed must be subject to regular inspections and upkeep. Given the amount of transits that may be installed – (Up to and exceeding 500) – it is important that an accurate register is created and maintained.
Many facilities have no record of these transits but once inventoried, logged, inspected, and assigned with a unique number the subsequent integrity management process is easier.
OCS has extensive experience in inspection management, and has been assisting clients with inspections, documentation, compliance, and remediation of these areas since 2000.
OCS can supply experienced personnel for all of your MCT Transit management need on a number of offshore installations, drilling rights, production units to help you keep your facility in compliance with industry and regulatory requirements.