Hot pipe penetration
How do you pass a hot pipe through a fire-rated, watertight division?
A hot pipe penetration is the passage of a hot pipe, such as an engine or generator exhaust, through a bulkhead, a deck or a wall that must keep its fire rating and its watertight integrity. An exhaust penetration is the certified answer.
Last reviewed: 13 October 2026 · Hell-Sea technical team
What solves it?
Hell-Sea is the only exhaust penetration in the world certified for 2 bar watertight integrity and A-60 fire protection at the same time. It is a pre-assembled kit that closes the passage of a hot pipe through a bulkhead or a deck, with a special braid as its sealing element. The watertight type approval, issued by RINA Services, covers pipe diameters DN32–DN1000 and a hydrostatic head of up to 20 m, tested for 60 minutes at 2 bar. The fire approvals are EC type examinations under the Marine Equipment Directive, tested to the IMO FTP Code Part 3 for class A-60 divisions. Both are marine certifications, so one product meets the watertight and the fire requirement of the same bulkhead or deck, without combining separate products. The kits are made in Italy by Service ABA Srls, in variants for welded or clamped installation, rotating flanges, curved pipe runs and twin pipes.
Which certificates back it?
Watertight integrity is certified by RINA Services. Fire protection is certified by EC Type Examination (Module B), Notified Body 0474, under SOLAS II-2/9, with USCG category 164.138. Production is audited under Module D.
| Approval | Certificate | Scope | Pipe range | Valid until |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watertight type approval | MAC113026CS | 60 minutes at 2 bar, head up to 20 m | DN32–DN1000 | 20 July 2031 |
| Fire protection, class A-60: bulkhead system | MED405826CS/001 | MED/3.26b, IMO FTP Code Part 3 (Res. MSC.307(88)) | OD 42–813 mm (carbon steel pipes) | 31 August 2030 |
| Fire protection, class A-60: deck system | MED405826CS/002 | MED/3.26b, IMO FTP Code Part 3 (Res. MSC.307(88)) | OD 42–1016 mm (carbon steel pipes) | 2 December 2030 |
| Fire protection, class A-60: aluminium deck system | MED405826CS/003 | MED/3.26b, IMO FTP Code Part 3 (Res. MSC.307(88)) | OD 42–914 mm (carbon steel pipes) | 14 April 2031 |
| Production quality assurance | MED113026CS/001 | Module D, production quality assurance | All approved systems | 30 July 2029 |
Can I build it myself with standard components?
No. A joint assembled on site from standard components is not a Hell-Sea exhaust penetration and carries none of its approvals: no fire rating, no watertight approval and no warranty. On a vessel it can also create problems at inspection, with the insurer and in liability if something fails. Nor is Hell-Sea a simple braid compression gland: it is an innovative system whose design differs from classic braid-compression systems, and it is certified as a complete product.
Other products are designed for other jobs, and none of them replaces a certified hot pipe penetration:
- Cable and pipe transits
- Intumescent sealants
- Fire cushions
- Flanged joints made on site
- Classic braid-compression systems
When a hot exhaust pipe crosses an A-60 watertight division, the product must hold both approvals for that exact use. Hell-Sea does.
Is it protected by patents?
Yes. The Hell-Sea exhaust penetration is an innovative and patented system, unlike classic braid-compression systems. It is protected by patents as a concept, a system, a shape and a design, with multiple upgrades and variants. Unauthorised reproduction is not permitted and would carry no certification, fire rating or warranty.
Can it be used outside ships and yachts?
Yes. The same passage is designed for any case where a hot pipe crosses a wall, a floor or a deck, including structures in concrete. Designed for installation in concrete and masonry. Certification applies to marine use; for land-based projects the required fire rating must be confirmed with the project's authority and Hell-Sea's technical team.
- Ships, yachts and superyachts
- Offshore platforms and units
- Generator sets
- Data centers
- Chemical and process plants
- Technical containers
- Military and defence structures
Do you have a hot pipe to pass?
Send us the pipe diameter and the structure it crosses. We respond within 24 hours.
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