About us Contact us MENU Global > Global Site > MacGregor > Products > Hatch covers HATCH COVER COMPONENTS HATCH COVER LOAD TRANSMISSION HATCH COVER WEATHERTIGHTNESS HYDRAULIC FOLDING HATCH COVERS LIFT-AWAY HATCH COVERS PIGGY-BACK HATCH COVERS SIDE-ROLLING HATCH COVERS STACKING HATCH COVERS TWEENDECK HATCH COVERS The first ever steel hatch covers were introduced and patented in 1929 by the brothers Robert and Joseph MacGregor - MacGregor & Company. Since then the MacGregor brand has developed to be synonymous with innovative solutions for all maritime cargo handling needs. Steel hatch covers remain at the very core of our business and today we are proud to offer optimised cargo handling systems, including not only hatch covers, but also bulkheads, cell guides, container stanchions, lashing bridges etc. We know our customer's businesses and can offer specific solutions to support the ship's cargo profile. Our large production capacity combined with a well-planned production network provides the flexibility to arrange the right slot for each project. We maintain high standards of quality and we make the installation process of the hatch covers as easy as possible. We can manage the risks throughout the entire steel structure process, from design to commissioning and provide spare parts and maintenance throughout the ship's lifetime, thus helping to enhance the ship's second-hand value. Hatch cover steel structure For stable and smooth operation of the hatch covers on board, the panels should be stiff. However, to maintain weathertightness at sea, the steel structure of a hatch cover, as well as the bearing pad and sealing arrangements must adapt to the varying shape of the coaming top while the hull is working and flexing at sea. The optimal stiffness of the steel structure of a hatch cover panel is a compromise between the above issues. The correct stiffness is achieved by selecting the optimal proportion between the open web and box construction, the double-skin construction being the stiffest design. Keeping the deadweight of the vessel under control and maintaining the stability calls for the use of high tensile steels in the main members of the hatch covers. In case of container ships, the size of the containers dictates the arrangement of the main girders carrying the loads and conveying the forces from the hatch cover to the coaming and hull structures. Keeping the structure simple, i.e. the number of components optimised, promotes production cost efficiency and facilitates the production of high quality surface treatment. MacGregor complete steel structure manufacturing Our hatch cover offering For general cargo ships: Folding hatch covers Lift-away hatch covers Rolling hatch covers Piggy-back hatch covers Stacking hatch covers Tweendeck hatch covers Movable bulkheads For bulk carriers: VLOC hatch covers Rolling hatch covers Folding hatch covers For container ships: Lift-away hatch covers Contacts Send us a contact request Dry Cargo Sales E-mail: drycargosales(at)macgregor.com Additional Information Brochure - MacGregor steel structure production Back to top PRINT SHARE FEEDBACK Did you find this useful? YES / NO By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Find out more by reading our privacy policy. OK Share Home| Services| Merchant ships| Offshore vessels| Ports and terminals| Products| About us Copyright MacGregor| Legal notice| Privacy policy MacGregor is part of Cargotec Corporation Follow us on: