Advice: Before any heavy lift operation will be carried out by the vessel the

supervision department in Leer has to be informed in time!

Loading/Discharging of Heavy lifts with Ship’s Cranes

During Loading/Discharging of Heavy lifts by using ship’s cranes the following points have to be
considered (see also attached sketches):

1. The vessel’s initial stability corrected for free surfaces (GMc) is radical reduced when

- opening the hatch covers (especially if the vessel is provided with folding system(s)),
- hoisting the jib(s) from sea stowing position,
- hoisting the load from the berth/out of a barge (in that moment the vertical centre of gravity
of the load is fixed in the rope wheel at the jib’s end up to 60m(!) above baseline dependent
on the size of ship and crane(s)).

2. The vessel gets list which should not exceed 5° max. (see CRANE manufacturer’s manual) when

- turning the jib over the berth/barge in connection with the jib’s outreach,
- hoisting the load from the berth/out of the barge.

Regulations

The IMO regulations concerning ship’s stability does not contain any advices about crane operation
referring to heavy lifts.
The german Regulations „Bekanntmachungen über die Anwendung der Stabilitätsvorschriften für
Frachtschiffe, Fahrgastschiffe und Sonderfahrzeuge der SeeBG“, as a part of the
Schiffssicherheitshandbuch, provide in article 3.3.5. under the headline for the: „Umschlag von
Schwergutladung mit dem schiffseigenen Ladegeschirr“ the following:
„It has to be insured that during the whole period of operation with the heavy lift a positive
remaining lever arm of ≥ 0,10m referring to an angle of heel (max. allow. + 5°)1 is present.”

For ship’s cranes according manufacturer’s advice the maximum allowable heeling angle (max. allow)
normally is 5°. That means in worst condition the vessel’s initial stability must show a minimum value
of GMc = 0,60m.

Worst condition means: The heavy collo is hanging with its total weight under the crane(s) while the
centre of gravity is located in the rope wheel at the end of the jib(s) (!) with a maximum luffing angle of the
jib(s). If both cranes are in use this maximum luffing angle is reached when the collo is just between the
cranes (longitudinal in line with the cranes!). If one crane is in use the maximum luffing angle of the jib is
dependent on the location of the collo ashore/on board.

For loading/discharging heavy colli especially under utilization of the max. SWL-capacity of the crane(s)
for the situation Ship in Ballast or Ship loaded homogenous or under any other loading condition it has to
be proved by reckoning that the above mentioned parameters for ship’s stability are fulfilled. If necessary
the ship has to take ballast but always under avoiding free surfaces.

Comment: For vessels in port the load line regulations are not valid. The draft of the vessel may exceed the
max. allowable value if by this means the stability can be improved.

1
Attention: This is not valid for heavy lift vessels provided with stability pontoon(s) ! On this type of vessel during heavy lift
operations by using stability pontoon(s) the list never should exceed 1° max. !!! The use of stability pontoon(s) is a pure static
mean only to increase the initial stability in a very narrow range of list in the beginning (0° to 2°)!!

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 CHECKLIST/Procedure Guide for Loading
Procedure for Loading a heavy lift with two cranes installed on vessel’s Portside using the max.
SWL-capacity for situation “Ship in Ballast”
During the loading procedure the vessel should not be affected by any wash and swell.
If necessary ask the port authorities for assistance in taking appropriate actions that the vessel will not be
affected by wash and swell caused by other vessels!
1. Heavy Lift Operation only during daylight? Check this in time with all parties!
2. Before starting the loading procedure bring the vessel in the best stability condition:
□ take ballast and/or fuel oil, over all: avoid free surfaces in ballast tanks by making an overflow
shortly before starting the heavy lift procedure (at least two times to avoid false indication caused by
air bubbles) with all ballast tanks that should be full, do not take information from online
measurements or the like; make soundings on that tanks that should be empty,
□ if a tween deck is available and only if necessary and/or possible (dependent on the length/breadth of
the collo) shift this in lowest position here also on Stb-side of the cargo hold,
□ if necessary and/or possible transfer fuel oil if to the Stb-side or consume during voyage from P-side
only,
□ fill up the heeling tank(s) on portside completely, starboard side empty,
□ if necessary/possible open hatch covers only partly / discharge pontoon covers ashore or keep hatch
cover (folding system) closed according to what is the best action for stability,
□ close all openings near the waterline, e.g. bull eyes and access hatches,
□ take the gangway in,
□ heave ship’s lines/ropes (not to tight and not to slack)
□ if necessary lower both anchors with chains into the water to increase GM.
□ if only one crane is in use and if necessary to increase GM lower down the jib of the other crane in sea
stowage position
3. The heavy lift must be placed as close as possible to the ship. Attention: Be aware of static load of the
berth/diameter of fenders and compare this with the outreach of crane(s).
4. Cranes with crossbar, shackles and wires have to be positioned over the heavy lift. Then and only if possible
try to give the vessel a slight heel to starboard by using a tank other than a heeling tank but only if you can avoid
free surfaces.
5. Ensure radio contact to the crane drivers by walky talky or other means (before settle exact commands: e.g:
hook up/down; jib up/down; turn shore/sea side; stop). Make sure who (Master or Chief Mate) has overall
command and from whom the crane driver(s) will receive orders in operating the crane(s).
6. Connect the heavy lift to wires and if necessary to crossbar. Be aware of especially the longitudinal centre of
gravity of heavy lift (see sketch from manufacturer if available).
7. On those vessels which are provided with stability pontoon(s) crew members have to watch the pontoons
draft (upper/lower limit) all the time!
8. Only if necessary because of poor transversal moment balance hoist up heavy lift until vessel’s list shows
max. 3° else max 1°.
9. Stop hoisting now and make sure, that crane wires when tight are showing in upright direction, if necessary
adjust jib(s) in an appropriate way. In any case be prepared by appropriate means (see sketch on page 7!) to
avoid that the heavy lift piece will swing off/to the vessel when lifted up!
10. Start pumping ballast by using the heeling tanks, here from port to starboard and watch the load indicators in
the crane cabins if installed for equal load distribution. Stop pump(s) when heavy lift takes off from berth/out of
barge.
11. Hoist up heavy lift just over hatch coaming.
12. Swing heavy lift slowly (one crane after the other – not both at the same time) over the hatch, while pumping
ballast now from starboard to port heeling tank. Keep vessel all the time with a slight list ( 1°) to the side
from which the heavy lift is loaded. If necessary/possible open the hatch cover now as little as possible.
13. Lower down heavy lift to stowing position and secure heavy lift (calculate lashing forces by program
„lashcon“ or manually by Cargo-Securing-Manual).

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 CHECKLIST/Procedure Guide for Discharging
Procedure for Discharging a heavy lift with two cranes installed on vessel’s Portside using the max.
SWL-capacity for situation “Ship in Ballast”
During the loading procedure the vessel should not be affected by any swell.
If necessary ask the port authorities for assistance in taking appropriate actions that the vessel will not be
affected by wash and swell caused by other vessels!

1. Heavy Lift Operation only during daylight? Check this in time with all parties!
2. Before starting the discharging procedure bring vessel in the best stability condition:

□ take ballast and/or fuel oil, over all: avoid free surfaces in ballast tanks by making an overflow
shortly before starting the heavy lift procedure (at least two times to avoid false indication caused by
air bubbles) with all ballast tanks that should be full, do not take information from online
measurements or the like; make soundings on that tanks that should be empty,
□ if a tween deck is available and only if necessary and/or possible (dependent on the length/breadth of
the collo) shift this in lowest position here also on Stb-side of the cargo hold,
□ if necessary and/or possible transfer fuel oil if to the Stb-side or consume during voyage from P-side
only,
□ adjust the water level in the port heeling tank(s) in that way that the starboard tank(s) will be empty
and port tank(s) full when the heavy lift is positioned over the berth/barge,
□ if necessary/possible open hatch covers only partly / discharge pontoon covers ashore or keep hatch
cover (folding system) closed according to what is the best action for stability,
□ close all openings near the waterline, e.g. bull eyes and access hatches,
□ take the gangway in,
□ heave ship’s lines/ropes (not to tight and not to slack)
□ if necessary lower both anchors with chains into the water to increase GM.
□ if only one crane is in use and if necessary to increase GM lower down the jib of the other crane in sea
stowage position

3. Ensure radio contact to the crane drivers by walky talky or other means (before settle exact commands: e.g:
hook up/down; jib up/down; turn shore/sea side; stop). Make sure who (Master or Chief Mate) has overall
command and from whom the crane driver(s) will receive orders in operating the crane(s).
4. Unlash the heavy lift and connect it to the wires and if necessary to the crossbar .
5. Make sure, that crane wires when tight are showing in upright direction, if necessary adjust Jib(s) in an
appropriate way before hoisting up the load. In any case be prepared by appropriate means (see sketch on
page 7!) to avoid that the heavy lift piece will touch any other cargo around due to swinging when lifted
up! Heave the collo slowly in 5t steps!
6. Hoist up heavy lift over hatch coaming, than close the hatch cover if necessary/possible and than swing the
heavy lift slowly (one crane after the other – not both at the same time) over the berth/barge, while pumping
ballast now from port to starboard heeling tank. Keep vessel all the time with a slight list ( 1°) to the side to
which the heavy lift is discharged.
7. Lower heavy lift on the berth/into the barge only by a slight touch down with 2t to 5t ease to the load only.
8. Stop lowering and pump ballast from starboard to port heeling tank until hooks’ ease is about 10t better zero
tons (watch load indicators in the crane cabins if installed).
9. On command simultaneously lower hooks and jibs of cranes as quick as possible.
10. Disconnect heavy lift from wires and crossbar.

Comment to 6.- 9.):

This procedure always is compulsory in case lowering speed of hook and jib is less than rolling speed of the vessel in
the moment when the transversal moment is decreasing. Non observance of this procedure will cause most probably
severe damage to the heavy lift, vessel and vessel’s crane(s)!
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