Rope care and Maintenance

Question 1

General Good Practice for rope care and steel wire ropes?

Answer 1

• Kept dry, away from sunlight, heat, chemicals, extreme cold
• Steel wire ropes kept lubricated as per manufactures instructions
• Eye of wire rope should be made with a splice or compression fittings, not bulldog clips

Question 2

How often should a mooring line inspection be carried out?

Answer 2

Monthly

Question 3

What are you looking for in a mooring rope inspection?

Answer 3

• Abrasion, powdered internal fibres (inside and out)
• Stiffness (shock loads)
• Heat damage (glazed effect)
• Pulled/cut yarns
• Chemical damage, patches of discolouration
• Inconsistent diameter, an indication of shock loading or overloading

Question 4

What do SWL and BL mean?

Answer 4

SWL = safe working load. the max force exerted which will not break the rope. Should always be marked on the equipment
BL = Max breaking load there is also a minimum breaking load (MBL)

Question 5

What is in a Rope Cert?

Answer 5

• Product name and type
• Length, size, diameter
• number of strands
• MBL
• SWL

Question 6

What does a Towing and Arrangements Plan contain?

Answer 6

Emergency towing equipment should be stored safely and not used for any other purpose

Towing Plan Includes

• Location and type of shipboard fittings
• SWL
• Purpose
• Limiting fleet angles (angle between the rope and travel across the drum)
• method of applying loads