Abstract: A hatch cover is a tent-like fabric structure having a skirt with dimensions which fit around and is attachable to a periphery of a hatch to keep foreign substances from falling into the hatch. Examples of such substances are rain, snow, dust, and any other contaminants. The fabric structure has a sloping roof rising from the skirt to a top where the fabric is sealed to a spout for delivering particulate matter into a space (such as the hold of a ship) under the fabric. A plurality of ropes extends around the periphery of the hatch to the top of the fabric, whereby the spout may be positioned and repositioned by changing the length of the tie-down ropes. The fabric structure may also be supported by creating a positive air pressure under the structure relative to ambient atmosphere pressure. Preferably the fabric structure is a generally conical structure with eaves at the base of the cone.