• Before beginning a heavy lift operation, the officer in charge should make

sure that the lift can be carried out in a safe and successful manner.
• Depending on the load to be lifted, the vessel can be expected to heel over
once the lift moves off the fore and aft line.
• Therefore, heads of departments should be given ample warning of an
expected list, before the operation begins.

Heavy Lift
• The ship’s gangway should be lifted clear of the quayside, and all fore and aft
moorings tended, to ensure that no damage is incurred by the heeling angle
of the vessel.

Procedures • The lugs or securing points on the load itself should be checked before
securing slings, to ensure that they are adequate to handle the load stress.
• Extreme care should be taken with crated heavy objects, as shippers have
been known to crate loads without reinforcing the crate itself.
• It is crucial to ensure that the vessel has adequate positive stability
throughout the operation
• The vessel’s stability can be improved by filling double bottom water ballast
tanks.
Heavy lift operation
 • Carry out a ‘Risk Assessment’ prior to commencing the
operation to ensure that all possible areas of hazard are
taken account of and that all risks are at an acceptable,
tolerable risk level.
Precautionar • Ensure that the stability of the vessel is adequate to
compensate for the anticipated angle of heel that will be
y Check List experienced when the load is at the maximum angle of
outreach.
for Heavy • All free surface elements should be reduced or eliminated if
possible, to ensure a positive value of ‘GM’ throughout the
Lift operation.
• A full inspection of all lifting equipment should be conducted
Operations prior to commencing the lift, by the Officer in Charge.
• Post competent crew members to tend the vessel’s moorings
at the fore and aft stations.
Precautionar • The ship’s fenders should be rigged overside to
y Check List prevent ship contact with the quayside at the
for Heavy moment of heeling.
Lift • Ensure that the deck area where the weight is to be
Operations landed is clear of obstructions and the deck plate is
covered with heavy dunnage to spread the weight of
the load. The ship’s plans should be consulted to
ensure that the limitations of the load density plan
and the deck load capacity are not exceeded.
• Only experienced and competent members of the
deck crew should be allowed to operate heavy lift
cranes.
• Remove any obstructive ship’s side rails if
appropriate and check that the passage of the load
from shore to ship is clear of obstructions.
Precautionar • Release any barges or small boats moored to the ship’s
y Check List sides before commencing any heavy lift operation.
for Heavy • Secure steadying / tag lines to the load itself.
Lift • Inspect and confirm the lifting points of the load are
Operations attached to the load itself and not just secured to any
protective casing.
• Ensure that the area is clear of all unnecessary personnel
and that crane drivers are in sight of a single controller.
• When all rigging is considered ready, the weight of the
load should be taken to ‘float’ the weight clear of the
quayside. This action will cause the vessel to heel over as
the full weight of the load becomes effective at the head
of the derrick boom or crane jib.
  The vessel’s stability should be thoroughly

Heavy Lifts: checked before starting the operation, with

particular regard to free surface in tanks.

Stability  When the lift is taken up by the crane or

derrick, the rise in the ship’s centre of
gravity should be such that she is not
Changes rendered unstable.
 • Once a heavy lift is taken up by a crane or
derrick, the centre of gravity of the load is
deemed to act from the head of that derrick
or crane jib.
• When calculating the ship’s stability criteria,
this assumption is like loading a weight
above the ship’s centre of gravity.
• Officers involved in ship stability calculations
will appreciate that when a weight is loaded
on board the vessel, a movement of the
ship’s ‘G’ will be expected.
• This movement (GG1) will be in a direction
towards the weight being loaded.
• It therefore follows that once a weight is
lifted and that weight effectively acts from
the head of the derrick or crane jib, the
ship’s position of ‘G’ will move upwards
towards this point of action.
• There will thus be a reduction in the vessel’s

Heavy Lifts: Stability GM.

Changes
What can
go wrong?