During ship navigation, bulkheads are key structures that separate functional areas (such as the engine room, cargo hold, passenger cabin, and communications room). The areas where cables and pipes penetrate the bulkheads are weak links in bulkhead sealing and safety protection. Failure of penetration seals can not only allow seawater, oil, gas, and flames to spread through gaps, leading to risks such as cabin flooding, equipment corrosion, and fire spread, but can also disrupt the stable operation of communications and power systems.

The TST SEAL penetration sealing system, designed specifically for ship applications, features a modular structure, weather-resistant materials, and multi-dimensional protection. It is a core solution to address the pain points of bulkhead penetrations, providing a strong “invisible line of defense” for ship navigation safety.

Modular Structure
Strong Weather Resistance
Multi-Level Protection

The Core Pain Point of Cabin Bulkhead Penetrations: Why Are Traditional Seals So Difficult to Adapt?

The unique characteristics of a ship’s sailing environment (salt spray corrosion, wave vibration, temperature fluctuations, and potential fire risks) pose multiple challenges to bulkhead penetration sealing. Traditional sealing methods often face performance limitations, leading to potential safety hazards:

High risk of seal failure, compromising cabin safety.

1. Seawater and salt spray intrusion: During extended periods of sea travel, lax sealing of bulkhead penetrations can allow seawater and salt spray to penetrate the engine room (including engines and power distribution equipment) and communications room (including radar and navigation systems), causing short circuits in electrical equipment and corrosion of metal components. In severe cases, this can lead to power failure or communication interruption.

2. Oil, gas, and flame spread: Fuel leaks in the engine room or volatile gases in the cargo hold can spread through penetrations into passenger cabins or living quarters, potentially posing an explosion risk. If a fire breaks out in a compartment, traditional seals are unable to prevent the spread of flames and high-temperature smoke, rapidly expanding the scope of the accident and threatening the lives of crew members.

Poor adaptability makes it difficult to accommodate diverse transit requirements.

The types of cables and pipes that must penetrate ship bulkheads are complex: from high-voltage power cables and fuel lines in the engine room to fine-diameter control cables and signal cables in the communications room, the specifications vary greatly. Traditional seals require multiple holes in the bulkhead, which not only weakens the structural strength of the bulkhead but also increases the sealing gap and the risk of leakage. Later, when cables are added or replaced, the existing seals must be removed and reinstalled, extending the ship’s downtime for maintenance.

Inadequate vibration and weather resistance result in a short lifespan.

During navigation, waves and engine operation generate constant vibration. Traditional seals are prone to displacement and cracking due to aging, and bolts on metal cover plates can loosen, causing rapid degradation of sealing performance. Furthermore, salt spray from seawater and high engine room temperatures accelerate corrosion of the sealing material. Traditional seals typically have a lifespan of 3-5 years, requiring frequent replacement. This not only increases maintenance costs but also creates safety hazards due to untimely maintenance.

Transit Sealing System’s “Customized Solution”: Core Design Adapted to Ship Bulkheads

Targeting the pain points of ship bulkhead penetrations, the TST SEAL Transit Sealing System achieves comprehensive protection for ship bulkheads through material selection, structural innovation, and performance enhancement:

Multi-Level Sealing Protection: Blocks the spread of seawater, oil, gas, and flames

01
Watertight and Airtight Guarantee: The system utilizes oil- and salt-spray-resistant EPDM sealing modules, coupled with a 316L stainless steel frame. The modules are extruded and rigidly fixed to the frame, achieving IP68 waterproofing and 0.5MPa airtightness, completely preventing the intrusion of seawater, salt spray, and oil and gas through the penetration area.

Fire-Retardant Design: For high-risk areas such as engine rooms and cargo holds, the sealing system features A-0, A-15, A-30, and A-60 fire-resistant modules (compliant with the International Fire Test Procedures (FTP) Code for the Application of Fire Test Procedures). Regulations), effectively preventing flames and high-temperature smoke from spreading through bulkhead penetrations, buying critical time for crew evacuation, firefighting, and rescue efforts. The module’s explosion-proof performance (meeting Ex d IIC Gb and Ex d IIC Gc) can also block explosion shock waves, making it suitable for use in potentially explosive areas such as cargo holds.

Modular, variable-diameter design: Flexibly accommodates diverse penetration requirements.

02
Full-size compatibility: The system utilizes a “standard frame + variable-diameter sealing module + blind plug module” to support single cable/pipe penetrations with an outer diameter of 3-98mm. It can also be spliced ​​to accommodate multiple cables/pipes of varying sizes, eliminating the need for multiple holes in the bulkhead and ensuring bulkhead structural integrity.

Tolerance compatibility and bidirectional installation: Bulkhead openings can be machined with a ±5mm tolerance, reducing on-site drilling challenges (suitable for retrofitting bulkheads on older vessels). The frame supports both front and rear installation, accommodating varying workspaces on either side of the bulkhead, significantly enhancing installation flexibility.

Vibration and Weather Resistance: Adaptable to the harsh marine environment

03
Anti-vibration and anti-loosening structure: The sealing module can withstand continuous vibration up to 20g acceleration, preventing module displacement or cable loosening. The frame and bulkhead are welded together to ensure long-term sealing stability.
Weather-resistant material selection: The 316L stainless steel frame has passed a 1000-hour salt spray test without rust. The EPDM sealing module has a temperature resistance range of -55°C to 90°C and excellent ozone and UV aging resistance. With a design life of up to 30 years, it far exceeds traditional seals and significantly reduces ship operation and maintenance times and costs.

Easy Maintenance Design: Reduces Downtime Losses

04
Frame Replacement Without Disassembly: When adding or replacing cables/pipes, there’s no need to dismantle the sealing frame. Simply remove the corresponding blind plug module or adjust the seal module’s position. This operation can be completed in less than 30 minutes, significantly reducing vessel downtime and navigation losses due to maintenance.

Leading Certifications: Ranked among the world’s top five classification societies

05
Thanks to its superior technical capabilities and stringent quality control, TST SEAL has successfully achieved certification from CCS (China Classification Society), RS (Russian Maritime Register of Shipping), ABS (American Bureau of Shipping), BV (Bureau Veritas), and RINA (Registra Italiana), making it one of the few domestic companies to hold certifications from all five of the world’s leading classification societies. This demonstrates TST SEAL’s core competitiveness in aligning with international standards in the marine sector and serving the global market.

Typical Application Scenario: Covering Core Bulkhead Transit Needs

The TST SEAL Transit Sealing System, with its strong adaptability to various ship scenarios, has been widely used for core bulkhead penetrations on various types of ships (cargo ships, cruise ships, naval vessels, and special vessels).

I

Engine Room Bulkhead Sealing Transit: Protecting the Power Core

The engine room is the “heart” of a ship. Bulkheads must penetrate engine power cables, fuel lines, cooling water pipes, and other components, and are exposed to high temperatures, oil and gas, and vibration. The TST SEAL Transit Sealing System, utilizing A-60 fire-resistant modules and oil-resistant EPDM seals, seals power cables and pipes. This not only eliminates the risk of explosions caused by oil and gas leaks, but also prevents seawater infiltration and engine short circuits, ensuring stable operation of the ship’s power system.

II

Bulkhead Sealing Transit Between Passenger Cabins and Engine/Cargo Holds:

Ensuring Personnel Safety

The passenger cabin area of ​​passenger and cruise ships must be separated from the engine and cargo holds by bulkheads. Transit points (mostly communication and lighting cables) are typically located within these areas. The IP68 waterproof and low-smoke, halogen-free TST SEAL sealing module (which produces low smoke density and no toxic gases during combustion) prevents engine room fumes and cargo hold odors from entering the passenger cabin. It also blocks smoke from spreading in the event of a fire, creating a safe environment for passenger evacuation.

Bulkhead penetration between the communications room and the deck:
Stable signal transmission

The radar and navigation system cables in the communications room must pass through the bulkhead to connect to deck equipment. This penetration is susceptible to corrosion from seawater and salt spray. The sealing system, with a 316L stainless steel frame and corrosion-resistant sealing module, protects the cables from salt spray corrosion. The system also provides electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (42-63dB in the wide frequency range of 14kHz to 18GHz) to prevent strong electromagnetic interference from deck equipment (such as radar) from affecting the communication system, ensuring stable navigation and external communications.

Application Value: Sealing Modules Empower Ship Safety and Operations

The application of the transit seal system in ship bulkheads not only addresses the pain points of traditional seals but also creates value for ship operations from three key perspectives: safety, efficiency, and cost.

1. Safety

IP68 waterproof, A-60 fireproof, and explosion-proof design significantly reduces the risks of accidents such as seawater intrusion, fire spread, and explosion, ensuring the safety of crew and ship property.

2. Efficiency

Modular installation and rapid maintenance shorten ship construction and downtime for maintenance, improving ship utilization.

3. Cost

The 30-year lifespan design reduces seal replacement frequency, reducing annual operating and maintenance costs by over 60% compared to traditional seals. Furthermore, it avoids equipment repair costs due to seal failure, indirectly saving shipowners significant expenses.