RA 07 - December 2009 – One of a series of Steamship Mutual Loss Prevention Bulletins produced by the Ship Safety Trust Page 1 of 2 For further information please contact the Loss Prevention Department, Steamship Insurance Management Services Ltd., Tel: +44 20 7247 5490; Email: loss.prevention@simsl.com Web: www.simsl.com/loss-prevention-and-safety-training.html Mooring Line Care and Maintenance Mooring Line Care and MaintenanceMooring Line Care and Maintenance Mooring Line Care and Maintenance Introduction IntroductionIntroduction Introduction Recently the Club has experienced two large claims for injuries sustained by linesmen and crew due to rope mooring lines parting and striking personnel in the vicinity. In the first incident a mooring line parted and struck two linesmen who were on the wharf adjacent to the hull. It would seem that the mooring line was worn at a point where it regularly rubbed against a chine on the ships hull whilst in use. The rope was worn down to such a degree that it failed catastrophically when being used to heave the vessel into position. The second incident involved another rope mooring breaking resulting in serious head arm and leg injuries to a crewmember who was standing by in the vicinity. Members, their Masters and crew need to ensure that ropes are cared for, utilised and maintained in line with industry best practice. A planned maintenance system should also be in place ensuring periodic thorough visual inspection of all mooring lines, and that these are replaced promptly when unacceptable damage is found. Mooring Rope Inspection Mooring Rope InspectionMooring Rope Inspection Mooring Rope Inspection Apart from a visual inspection by crew prior to berthing and periodic inspections by the watchman whilst alongside, mooring ropes should be periodically inspected along their entire length at least once a month. The wear along the rope should be externally examined and areas of wear and fusing on man made fibre ropes closely checked to assess the integrity of the rope at these points. Areas of actinic degradation should also be inspected closely to assess the rope’s integrity. Eye splice integrity and eye wear needs to be checked and the strands of the rope opened up to check for internal wear, the pilling of the internal surfaces on a man made fibre rope is an indication of hard use. Mooring ropes, both loose coils used on the bitts and those on winch drums should be cropped and the eye re-spliced or end for ended once the working end becomes worn. It is recommended that major damage should not be cropped out from within the rope’s length and replaced with a short splice as this will reduce the strength of the rope. If there is any doubt as to the strength or integrity of a rope then it should be replaced. RA 07 - December 2009 – One of a series of Steamship Mutual Loss Prevention Bulletins produced by the Ship Safety Trust Page 2 of 2 For further information please contact the Loss Prevention Department, Steamship Insurance Management Services Ltd., Tel: +44 20 7247 5490; Email: loss.prevention@simsl.com Web: www.simsl.com/loss-prevention-and-safety-training.html Mooring Wire Inspection Mooring Wire InspectionMooring Wire Inspection Mooring Wire Inspection Again, apart from visual inspection prior to use, wire ropes should be subject to periodic inspection by the watchman whilst the vessel is alongside and periodically examined along their entire length at least once a month. Discard criteria should b