SDMBL & Mooring Equipment at a Glance.
Let’s make things easier and sum them up for you. Black Rope’s experts are here to guide and support you, regarding any inquiry you may have about your fleet’s mooring needs.
A professional and efficient mooring plan is based on several rules. It requires meticulous preparation. BLACK ROPE can ensure your fleet’s smooth transition and adoption of the new SOLAS requirements.
Stay tuned and contact Black Rope’s mooring experts for any inquiry that may arise.
📲 (+30) 210 224 1089
Amendments to the SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-8 have been adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee and will be in effect from 01.01.2024, aiming to strengthen safe mooring operations on board. These adaptions introduce new requirements for mooring arrangements and equipment in order to implement meaningful safety improvements and consequently achieve the avoidance of serious or fatal accidents.
For Black Rope, there has never been an alternative option other than ensuring your safe and seamless mooring operations.
We will be glad to assist you with the smooth and tailor-made implementation of the amended SOLAS regulatory prerequisites regarding your fleet’s mooring plan.
Stay tuned and contact Black Rope’s mooring experts for any inquiry that may arise.
📲 (+30) 210 224 1089
According to Mooring Equipment Guidelines MEG4 OCIMF
5.8.4.1 Connection devices: “Connection devices that have a safety factor of three, i.e., a breaking load is three times the SWL
(SWL/BL = 1/3)”
Black Rope supplies the shipping industry worldwide with mooring links certified according to MEG4 requirements.
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SIRE 2.0 – OCIMF
Short Question Text
Line Management Plan (LMP) implementation.
Vessel Types
Oil, Chemical, LPG, LNG
ROVIQ Sequence
Documentation, Cargo Control Room, Mooring Decks
Publications
OCIMF: Effective Mooring. Fourth Edition 2019
OCIMF: Mooring Equipment Guidelines. Fourth Edition 2018 (MEG4)
Objective
To ensure that mooring lines, mooring tails and joining shackles are always in serviceable condition and managed to avoid failure in service.
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☑️SIRE 2.0 Question Library – Part 2 – Chapters 8 to 12 – Version 1.0 (January 2022)
Consider the option of stowing the synthetics mooring ropes below of deck preventing the chances of ice build-up.
Low temperature and ice in rope structure can reduce the breaking strength and affect the stiffness of a synthetic mooring rope.
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(+30) 210 224 1089
The 4 types of mooring system arrangements that are typically used are the following:
1. High modulus synthetic fibre rope with tail.
The high modulus (HM) synthetic fibre main line boasts wire-like strength and elongation properties. It therefore requires the use of a tail as the sacrificial element to absorb shocks and protect the low-weight, high-performance main mooring line.
2. Wire main line with tail.
Due to the negligible elasticity of the main wire-based line, an elastic tail is required to absorb the forces while the ship is berthed.
3. High tenacity synthetic fibre rope.
High tenacity (HT) synthetic fibre ropes boast elongation properties that allow them to easily absorb the forces of moderate swells when moored.
4. High tenacity synthetic fibre rope main line with tail.
For situations where the mooring system needs to deal with greater forces and shock loads, a HT synthetic fibre main line can be paired with a tail to take the brunt of the force and thereby protect the main mooring line from unnecessary wear
info@blackrope.com , (+30) 69522 90682-3-4
How to calculate the ship design MBL according to OCIMF MEG4
Black Rope will be glad to help at any point in the selection process – and can even advise operators from the very beginning in the process of choosing the right mooring line system set-up, offering possible alternatives for their individual needs.
info@blackrope.com , (+30) 69522 90682-3-4
***Abbreviations***
MBL= Minimum Breaking Load
As a first general rule of thumb, only ropes holding the appropriate certificates of makers and never of intermediary suppliers should be considered for deployment in mooring line systems. Obtaining the appropriate mooring system for the job means that the system’s service life can potentially be dramatically enhanced and also ensures a maximum level of safety, which ultimately boosts cost efficiency.
It is strongly advised that “mixed mooring” set-ups should not be used. This is largely due to the generally significant differences that can exist in the levels of Elongation/Elasticity and Strength of two or more different types of lines. Mixed mooring causes potentially serious safety hazard!
With the help of the ship design MBL and equipment number, the breaking loads of the mooring lines can be calculated. But many other factors also influence the selection of the optimal mooring line system. This is why it is crucial to take the time to identify and make a careful assessment of these variables, which include but are not limited to:
• In what waters/ports will the vessel be primarily active (what are the local facilities like, and what conditions are anticipated to be regularly encountered)?
• How often will the vessel berth and be moored?
• What type of equipment and components are found on board of the vessel (e. g. fairleads, bollards, winches, etc.)?
Also needing consideration are the special conditions that exist on board, which can have a potential effect on the rope service life and therefore will influence the selection of which lines to choose for the mooring systems. These special conditions may include factors such as any tight angles that the lines will be exposed to during use, or the effects that multi-purpose hawsers may have on the ropes.
When converting from a wire-based to a synthetic fiber based in mooring system, then special attention is required to ensure that all points that come into contact with the rope on the vessel must be smooth in order to prevent the rope from snagging and being damaged.
Black Rope will be glad to help at any point in the selection process – and can even advise operators from the very beginning in the process of choosing the right mooring line system set-up, offering possible alternatives for their individual needs.
info@blackrope.com , (+30) 69522 90682-3-4
The updated MEG4 represents the output of a multi-discipline working group representing members of various shipping trade organizations, mooring line manufacturers, shipyards, and OCIMF members. In previous guidelines of MEG requirements there was no specific jurisdiction of industry guidance on condition-based monitoring of mooring lines and tails. The new MEG requirements have strived to provide guidance and clarity on the condition-monitoring of mooring lines. Below is a list of some new terms that will be introduced in MEG4.
Ship Design Minimum Breaking Load – SDMBL. The minimum breaking load of new, dry mooring lines for which a ship’s mooring system is designed, to meet OCIMF standard environmental criteria restraint requirements. The SDMBL is the main parameter against which all the other components of a ship’s mooring system are sized and designed with defined tolerances.
Line Design Break Force – LDBF. LDBF is the minimum force that a new, dry, spliced mooring line will break at when tested according to appendix B. This is for all mooring line and tail materials except those manufactured from nylon which is tested wet and spliced. This value is declared by the manufacturer on each line’s mooring line certificate (see appendix B) and it is stated on a manufacturer’s line data sheet. As outlined in appendix B, when selecting lines, the LDBF of a line shall be 100%–105% of the SDMBL.
LDBF is the minimum force that a new, dry, spliced mooring line will break at when tested according to appendix B. This is for all mooring line and tail materials except those manufactured from nylon which is tested wet and spliced. This value is declared by the manufacturer on each line’s mooring line certificate (see appendix B) and it is stated on a manufacturer’s line data sheet. As outlined in appendix B, when selecting lines, the LDBF of a line shall be 100%–105% of the SDMBL.
TDBF is the minimum force that a new, dry, spliced mooring tail will break at when tested according to appendix B. This is for all mooring line and tail materials except those manufactured from nylon which is tested wet and spliced. This value is declared by the manufacturer on each line’s mooring line certificate (see appendix B) and it is stated on a manufacturer’s line data sheet. As outlined in appendix B, when selecting lines, the TDBF of a line shall be 125%–130% of the SDMBL. The TDBF for nylon mooring lines should be specified as break tested wet because nylon tails change strength characteristics once exposed to water.
The maximum load that a mooring line should be subjected to in an operational service, calculated from the standard environmental criteria. The WLL is expressed as a percentage of ship design MBL and should be used as a limiting value in both ship design and operational mooring analysis. During operation, the WLL should not be exceeded.
LMP is used to manage the operation and retirement of mooring lines and tails. The LMP also documents the requirements, assumptions and evaluation methods which used in determining the line retirement criteria. The LMP is specific to an operator, ship type, mooring line type and trade route.
The MSMP which will complement the ship’s SMS. Through a ‘goal-based’ approach core elements of the mooring system are identified, against which high level ‘goals’ are established supported by more detailed ‘functional requirements’.
AIM: For the selecting right mooring line
During MEG3, only
• Length
• Diameter
• MBL
During MEG4, furthermore
• Load bearing linear tenacity
• Type of Vessel, frequency and type of mooring.
• Line tenacity
• Axial compression resistance
• Temperature conditions
• Specifications of vessel’s mooring equipment
• Material (no brand’s name)
• The replacement reason of mooring line
and more
AIM: To minimize the risk of failure of mooring lines and increase crew safety
New standards of inspection-monitoring
i)Environmental criteria
• Direction & force of wind and current
• Temperature
• Swell of sea
• Humidity
ii) Other criteria
• Type of work of line (ex. spring, head, breast, stern etc.)
• Hours of working operations
• Type of mooring operation (ex. STS, Open sea port etc.)
• Type of mooring equipment (ex. chock, fairlead, rollers and other deck fittings.)
• Protection of mooring lines (ex. chafe sleeves, protectors etc.)
• Construction & specification of mooring line or tail from the manufacturer
and more
Support for optimal mooring line selection and LMP according to MEG4. Expert rope makers will be assigned to your project and will work closely with your managers. The support offered includes conference calls, on-site visits from the assigned sales account manager as well as from an expert Engineer. Furthermore, we will follow up whenever changes in specifications or production schedules are applied, in order to fully serve your project’s specific requirements.
Training courses from expert rope makers can train your crew and executives in safety, maintenance, inspection and management of your mooring lines according to OCIMF MEG4, IMO & ISO/CI standards. The training courses are designed to provide you with increased crew safety and improved management of your mooring ropes. The training courses include instructional videos and presentations, easy-to-fill checklists for on board procedures and online technical support.
Makers of ropes must help you assess the condition of your mooring lines worldwide, at any time. Technicians of ropes can perform on board visual quality inspections and audit your mooring operation. After the inspection, you will receive a comprehensive official inspection report about the condition of your mooring lines and recommendations for your mooring operation. Also monitoring software from makers of ropes can be used to track line usage & condition in order to reliably prevision the replacement of your mooring lines & tails according to MEG4. Last but not least makers of ropes must evaluate precisely the remaining operational life of your mooring lines. All testing will be done according to the latest OCIMF & ISO/CI standards. Your mooring lines & mooring tails must be replaced with strength not less than 75% of SDMBL strength.
• Reduce your operational costs by improving the working life of mooring lines
• Reduce mooring operation risks by preventing incidents
• Improve your safety by trusting the monitoring of your lines to the experts
Capt. Vasilis Giannopoulos
Marine Mooring Consultant
COO at Black Rope