Services · 06
Steel and aluminum, measured, not guessed.
A non-destructive way to know exactly how much hull is left: remaining plate thickness on steel and aluminum vessels, found while it's still a maintenance item, not a structural one.
About this survey
Ultrasonic thickness testing is a non-destructive method of measuring the remaining thickness of steel and aluminum hull plating and structural components, identifying corrosion, material loss and wastage not visible during a routine visual inspection. Performed with professional-grade equipment.
Corrosion often begins beneath protective coatings or in areas visual inspection cannot reach. Readings are compared against original plate thicknesses where available, or evaluated using accepted marine industry practice.
For steel and aluminum hulls: buyers, owners and insurers who need numbers, not guesses.
What ultrasonic thickness testing may include
- Steel and aluminum hull plating
- Internal structural members
- Fuel, water and ballast tanks (where accessible)
- Corrosion and material loss assessment
- Comparison against original plate thickness, where available
- Repair planning, regulatory compliance and periodic monitoring baselines
Most reports land in 48 hours. Seventy-two at the outside. The surveyor who did the inspection writes the report, usually the same night.
Straight answers
Which vessels is ultrasonic thickness testing (UTM) for?
Steel and aluminum hulls: plating, internal structure and tanks where accessible. It's the difference between suspecting wastage and knowing its extent.
How do you decide where to take the readings?
Locations are chosen from the vessel's construction, age and condition, and from what the inspection is for. A pre-purchase read and a periodic monitoring baseline are not the same job.
What does the report contain?
Measurement locations, the recorded readings, areas of concern and recommendations.
Can ultrasonic thickness testing (UTM) be part of another survey?
Yes, it folds into pre-purchase, insurance, condition & valuation and damage surveys whenever a metal hull calls for it, or stands alone for periodic monitoring.
The next step
The hull will not tell you on its own.
Tell us the hull material, the age and where the boat lies. If it is due to come out of the water for other work, that is the moment to gauge it.