THE HEAVYLIFT ENGINEER

...managing & delivering heavy lift projects

ISSUE: 03

STOWAGE PLANS - BUILDING IS EXCEPTION A-3.5

WHAT YOU NEED TO FABRICATION JIGS THE SOLUTION TO
KNOW - 5 TOP TIPS. HEAVY LIFT/SEMI-
SUBMERSIBLE?.
A PUBLICATION
THE HEAVYLIFT ENGINEER

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 ISSUE 03

CONTENTS

EDITORIAL page 5

STOWAGE PLANS - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW? page 6

Heavy Lift Tip - Ground Bearing under Trailers / Page 10

BUILDING FABRICATION JIGS - 5 TOP TIPS page 12

Book Recommendations / page 15

Heavy Lift Tip - Cranes on Barges / page 16

LEARNING FROM LOCKDOWN page 18

Heavy Lift Tip -Deck Strength/ page 20

IS EXCEPTION A-3.5 THE SOLUTION TO HEAVY LIFT/SEMI-SUBMERSIBLE?. page 22

Heavy Lift Tip - Hook Heights / page 26

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fig. 01 / Port crane
THE HEAVYLIFT ENGINEER

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 ISSUE 03

EDITORIAL
JOHN MACSWEEN, MANAGING DIRECTOR AT MALIN GROUP

Welcome to our latest edition of the Whether you are in shipbuilding, heavy
Heavylift Engineer, edition three. You fabrication, power generation or mining,
can find issues one and two online to the heavy lift engineer’s skill set is critical.
download (www.heavyliftengineer.com/ No other engineering discipline, if you
magazine). decide to dive deep enough, offers such
a range of technical challenges. We hope
It has been great to hear all of your that this edition reflects that variety,
responses and feedback to date and I look offering something of interest to you,
forward to your views on our latest edition. regardless of your background.

It has been a difficult 8 months, with Please do get in touch if you have a
companies forced to rethink their working topic you would like to see covered or
practices and colleagues adjusting to would like to guest feature for a future
either working from home, keeping release – and I hope you enjoy this new
occupied on furlough - or continuing work edition!
as an essential worker. Whilst difficult
and at times isolating, the Covid crisis We would love to hear from you! Please
has also offered a learning opportunity, send any questions to: heavyliftengineer@
from harnessing new technologies, to malingroup.com.
reviewing work life balance. We look at
this in more detail in our special, lockdown Please also sign up for exciting future
lessons article. This is teamed with a piece editions at: www.heavyliftengineer.com
enumerating the top 5 tips on the build
of fabrication jigs, including the need
to identify build methodology from the
beginning and things to consider when
planning the factory acceptance test (FAT).
There is also an article on one of the most
common, and crucial, elements of any
heavylift shipping project, the humble
stowage plan. Easy to do, and even easier
to do badly!

We also have a great article by Giles

Candy from Envirocleanse on ballast water
treatment, with a focus on how it may
affect heavy lift projects.

We have a selection of our helpful heavy

lift tips, covering everything from cranes
on barges, to hook heights – and of course
our book reviews, to offer some helpful
recommendations for your next read.

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 THE HEAVYLIFT ENGINEER

STOWAGE PLANS - WHAT

YOU NEED TO KNOW

A lot of considerations must be taken into • provide specific advice on cargoes which
account when creating a stowage plan. are known to create difficulties and
• Does the cargo fit in the allocated hazards regarding their stowage and
space? securing
• What will be used to secure the cargo? • advising on actions that may be taken
• How will personnel stow and secure the when in heavy sea conditions
cargo? • advising on actions that may be taken to
• Is the deck strong enough to take the remedy the effects of cargo shifting
cargo?
• Does the cargo need segregated? The CSS Code provides the advice; however,
the overall responsibility of the vessel, crew
The safe stowage and securing of cargo and cargo always lies with the Master.
is dependent on the proper planning,
execution and supervision of the process. The Cargo Securing Manual is broken into
The cargo should be stowed and secured in five chapters:
such a way which does not put the ship or • Chapter 1 – General (Definitions and
personnel in any risk. Improper stowage and General Information)
securing can put the vessel, crew and other • Chapter 2 – Securing Devices and
cargo into a potentially hazardous situation. Arrangements
• Chapter 3 – Stowage and Securing
The International Maritime Organization of Non-Standardized and Semi-
(IMO) has developed guidelines which must Standardized Cargo
be followed when carrying cargo. This is the • Chapter 4 – Stowage and Securing of
Code of Safe Practice for Cargo Stowage and Containers and other Standardized Cargo
Securing (CSS Code). It is also a mandatory • Chapter 5 – Cargo Safe Access Plan
requirement for vessels to carry a Cargo
Securing Manual (CSM) specific to their cargo Using the guidelines laid out by the IMO, in
carrying capability. combination with the predominant industry
standards, we can look to answer the
The CSS Code provides an international aforementioned queries.
standard to promote the safe stowage and
securing of cargoes. It manages this by: Does the cargo fit in the allocated
• ensuring that ship owners and operators space?
utilise the ship for its intended purpose Vessel owners and charterers can supply
• providing advice to ensure vessels are vessel particulars, which will allow you
equipped with proper cargo securing to find the right vessel for the specific
means cargo. Many vessels have multiple holds
• providing advice on cargo stowage and for carrying cargo, which are normally
securing to minimize risks to the ship numbered starting at the bow and moving
and personnel aft.

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 ISSUE 03

fig. 02 / Typical Reel stowage

• weight of the cargo

Within the particulars, hold dimensions • accurate position of the Cargo’s Centre
should be supplied for each hold. Hold of Gravity (CoG), in relation to a base
capacity can also be referred to in different point on the vessel
ways depending on the type of vessel: • dimensions between the transverse
• it is often measured in cubic metres, and longitudinal supports in relation to
stating the Grain/Bale capacity the CoG
• when carrying containers, TEU (Twenty • accurate dimensions of the vessel being
Foot Equivalent Units) is referred to used for the transportation
• nature of transportation, in terms
There may be cases where the cargo of expected sea state and weather
dimensions are greater than the allowable conditions
height in the hold. With permission from the
vessel owner, the hatch covers can be left We would recommend the use of “Planning
open to allow for this. When considering the and Execution of Marine Operations –
allocated space, it is important to consider DNVGL-ST-N001” as the industry Standard
the cargo securing method and materials to comply with. From the seagoing forces
and whether the addition of these will also we can find the transverse and longitudinal
fit into the allocated space. forces that will act upon the cargo, and
whether there will be any uplift present.
Cargo securing:
Cargo can be secured in several different Once the seagoing forces are known,
ways: the type of securing can be chosen. This
• web lashings will depend on how the cargo has been
• chain lashings constructed.
• welded blockers/cleats • Are there any lashing points on the
• welded bridge plates cargo?
• welded braces • How is the cargo supported where it
• twistlocks makes contact with the deck/dunnage?
• Is it being carried on a specially
The type of securing is dependent on designed transportation frame?
differing factors, the majority of which are
directed by a calculation of the seagoing Web Lashings are relatively light, fairly
forces that will act on the cargo. In order to easy to use and also due to their material,
calculate the seagoing forces, the following the majority being made from polyester,
information allows for the most accurate don’t cause as much damage to the cargo.
answer: However, they are susceptible to wear and
chafe, especially if being used across edges.

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 THE HEAVYLIFT ENGINEER

The rubber (or similar) protection should be Stowage and Securing Method
used to help protect the lashings. Web lashings The majority of cargoes will be lifted using
are also not recommended for use on exposed either a shore side crane or the vessel’s crane,
decks of a vessel, or on a barge where the from the quayside, either into the hold or onto
lashings cannot be checked. The webbing the deck of the vessel, straight into their final
material can deteriorate when exposed to salt position. However, some smaller cargoes may
water and UV rays from the sun. It is important then need manoeuvred once on the vessel.
to know the Minimum Breaking Load (MBL) of This may be done with the use of a forklift,
the lashing you are working with, and that they and in this instance, it would be important
are certified. to consider the forklifts manoeuvrability and
dimensions when creating a stowage plan.
Chain Lashings are heavy and can be quite
cumbersome when moving around the deck/ When uplift is calculated in the seagoing forces,
hold of a vessel. Care must be taken when additional vertical restraint is required on the
moving the chains around a piece of cargo to cargo. This may involve working at height,
prevent any damage from occurring, especially when using web or chain lashings for the
to painted surfaces. It is important, as with the vertical restraint, which in turn may require
web lashing, to know the MBL of the chain you the use of a cherry picker (or similar). Again, if
are working with, and that the chains have this is the case then the manoeuvrability and
been tested and certified. dimensions of the machinery on the vessel
should be considered when creating a stowage
Welded blockers/cleats are specified plan. In some cases, it may be necessary to
dependant on the findings from the seagoing install the vertical restraint on the cargo prior
forces. Blockers tend to be used when the only to lifting onboard the vessel. Another instance
considerations are transverse and longitudinal where a cherry picker may be required is when
forces; and cleats should be specified disconnecting the lifting equipment from the
whenever additional restraint is required cargo.
from uplift. When using blockers or cleats it
is important to know the vessel’s underdeck Deck Strength
framing in relation to the piece of cargo, Within the vessel particulars that you should
therefore an accurate drawing of the vessel receive from the owner or charterer, there
would be extremely useful. When welding the should be information on the deck strength
blockers or cleats to the deck it is important to of the vessel. This is normally presented in
do this in line with the underdeck framing, as the units’ tonne per metre squared (T/m2). If
this will be the strongest part of the deck (see loading cargo with a high point loading, deck
Figure 2). strength checks should be carried out to tie into
primary structure within the vessel. There are a
Welded bridge plates are used when few standards that we would recommend that
connecting a piece of cargo to a transportation you generally adhere to, these being, BS5950
frame, a good example of this would be when (British Standard – Structural use of steelwork
transporting offshore reels (see Figure 2). in building), AISC 360-10 (American institute of
Steel Construction – Specification for Structural
An important aspect to consider when choosing Steel Buildings), Lloyd’s Register (Rules and
welded seafastenings are the location of fuel regulations for the classification of ships) and
tanks or other flammable liquids or gases that Eurocode 3 (Design of steel structures).
may be stowed onboard the vessel. Since
heat produced during the welding process When loading cargoes with a high point
could pose a fire or explosion risk if exposed loading, it is important to land them to suitable
to flammable materials, the vessel’s owner or load spreading mats/dunnage, in order to
operator should always be consulted to ensure prevent any damage to the vessel’s deck.
it is safe to weld in the desired location. It is also important to consider the friction
coefficient of the load spreading devices, as
Twistlocks are used to secure containerised this will affect the results of seagoing forces
cargo. The twistlocks attach to the vessel’s deck being calculated.
in pre-set positions, where the four corners of
a container would land, and the container is
placed on top of them. Once the container is in
position, a lever is used on the twistlock to lock
the container in place.
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 ISSUE 03

Cargo Segregation This provides vital information to the vessel’s

Cargoes classed as dangerous goods are usually Master and crew in the event of an emergency
transported in containers and identified as involving the cargo.
such on each side of the container. If loading
dangerous cargo, it is important to consult the As you can see there are a multitude of
International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code considerations which should be taken into
(IMDG Code). The IMDG Code contains advice account when creating a stowage plan. By
on terminology, packaging, labelling, stowage, logically considering each of the five points
segregation, handling and emergency response, covered here, from space allocation to cargo
with regards to any dangerous goods. segregation, and securing methods to deck
strength, you can ensure that every aspect of
When carrying dangerous goods cargoes, it your stowage plan is covered and that your cargo
is important to carry a note specific to that is safely delivered, whatever the size.
piece of cargo. The note includes the following
information:
• kind of package
• description of goods
Written by Graham Thomas, Project
• proper shipping name
Engineer, Malin Abram
• hazard class
• UN number
• weight of goods

fig. 03 / Typical stowage plan

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 THE HEAVYLIFT ENGINEER

HEAVY LIFT TIP

GROUND BEARING UNDER
TRAILERS

FIG. 04

fig. 04 / Typical trailer

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 ISSUE 03

GROUND BEARING UNDER

TRAILERS
Checking the suitability of the ground under Individual Wheel Footprint.
modular trailers is formed of two aspects, If we look at a tyre under no load it is round,
ground bearing pressure (GBP) and surface whereas under full load it has a flat spot. The
composition. There are different ways to pressure inside the tyre will remain constant.
calculate GBP, the two most common of The GBP local to the tyre will depend on the
which are shadow area and wheel footprint. load on the trailers, the pressure in the tyres
and consequently the size of the flat spot.
Shadow area. The GBP would then be found in much the
This is simply a case of taking the area of same way as the shadow area, dividing the
the trailer and dividing it by the gross weight total load by the total area provided by the
acting on the trailer. Quite often engineers flat spots under each wheel.
will divide by the payload weight, forgetting
about the weights of the trailer, powerpacks For a thin surface, such as a barge deck or
and any packing steel. There are also various similar, where there will be no distribution of
interpretations of what the “shadow area” is. load, the wheel footprint is a more realistic
These can range from end axle to end axle choice to check loadings. For typical ground,
and bare trailer width, to overall trailer plan the shadow area is more likely to be valid
+ 200mm. and offers a simpler check. Always compare
the applied GBP against the supplied ground
For the shadow area to be valid the ground bearing capacity to ensure the ground is
surface needs to capable of receiving the capable of taking the loads.
loads and transmitting it further down into
the subsoil without any deformation or
failure. This leads into the topic of surface
composition and suitability of the surface
to transmit the loads in this way. Therefore Written by Richie Mason, Principal Project
the typical calculation of shadow area is of Engineer
the length of the trailer axle units x basic
width. Anything additional to this could need
further justification with respect to surface
composition.

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 THE HEAVYLIFT ENGINEER

BUILDING
FABRICATION
JIGS - 5 TOP TIPS

fig. 05 / Fabrication jig in production

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ISSUE 03

You could compose a book on the practise of

building fabrication jigs - covering everything from
design and identification of build method, to the
value of black builds and testing phases involved.
Here however, we would like to share our top
five tips to consider when working on or with a jig
fabrication project.

1. Ensure jigs are designed within movable

dimensions (height width) for road moves.

Road Transport Restrictions (UK)

One critical aspect of every design is the logistics
of transporting the jig to site after fabrication, for
first use. At the design stage, if required, the jigs
can be designed as a flat pack kit of parts that can
be assembled at site. This avoids any requirements
for escort vehicles and/or police escorts which can
not only increase costs but also delay projects due
to availability. Please refer to road move guidelines:
www.gov.uk/esdal-and-abnormal-loads

Width Restrictions
< 2.9m Within Gauge
>2.9m <3.5m Notify police & local councils 2
clear days notice
>3.5m <5.0m 2nd Man required, notify police &
local councils 2 clear days’ notice
>4.3m <6.1m private escort required. See note
below.
>5.0m <6.1m VR1 required (www.highways.
gov.uk/esdal), notify police 2
clear days notice
>6.1m Special Order required ≤
27.4m O/all Length≤ 150 Te GVW

Length Restrictions
Max length 27.4m without special order.
2nd Man over 18.3m
If drawbar trailer above exclusive of tractor

Height Restrictions
16’ 1” (4.9m) clears motorway bridges at 16’ 6”

Trailer overhang (rear)

< 3’ 6” (1067mm) No legal requirements
< 6’ 0” (1828mm) End board
< 9’ 10” (2997mm) End & side boards
> 9’ 10” (2997mm) End & side boards, 2nd
man & police notice
Note:
Over 3.5m width, provision of “private escort”
covers requirement for 2nd Man (attendant).

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 THE HEAVYLIFT ENGINEER

Hauliers will in most case use this option. you may have to redo the paint job , if areas are to be
reworked.

2. Identify build method from the outset If the black build is not possible for whatever reason,
a last precautionary measure is to hold a Factory
Fail to prepare, prepare to fail. Before commencing with Acceptance Test or “FAT” – this acts as the review stage
the fabrication phase, consideration must be given to before the structure is dis-assembled and dispatched to
the planning and build methodology. For more complex site. Although this is usually done after the structure is
details that require a large amount of local welding, you painted, it is a good opportunity to inspect and assess the
may wish to sub-assemble the units in their pre-weld structure before it is finally dispatched.
state (i.e after tack welding together). This ensures that
all the mating faces are accurately aligned prior to full Therefore, ensuring all is as it should be before arriving
welding. During welding the intense heat can often on site, usually the process would be as follows:
distort the steelwork and misalign the mating faces
resulting in additional efforts being required, not to
mention additional time and costs. It is better to catch
this distortion at this stage rather than fully weld and try
fit misaligned joints after welding, as by that point it’s far
too late.

3. Ensure Section sizes and grades are readily

available when designing

Another issue that arises time and time again is

specifying section sizes that are not readily available.
Having seen it before, the design phase closes out, the
client is happy, enquiries for procurement go out and at
this point it becomes apparent that the sections are not
available. It is then back to the drawing board. By having
a designer’s manual/guide, it helps aid design engineers
throughout the design phase in choosing off the shelf
sections from the outset. These design guides are
extremely useful, based upon years of lessons learned.

4. Green

As these jigs are generally suited to mate with another

unit or piece of equipment there is often a consideration
for green material to be left on. Generally speaking, this
green would then be removed in situ when the mating
unit is surveyed and an accurate interface is established.
When designing transportation jigs it is always a good
idea to identify the mating unit so that considerations can
be made for tolerance and overlengthening materials.

5. Black Builds & Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) Written by Ross Marshall, Project Manager, Malin Group

When time permits its often a very beneficial process to

black build steelwork before progressing to the surface
finish phase of a project. The term black build refers to
the process of assembling all components of the structure
in their pre-finished state. i.e before any surface finishing
takes place such as shotblasting and/or painting. Doing
this ensures that all of the components fit and align
as intended before committing to the finishing stages.
Subsequently, if any issues do arise at this stage then
they can be rectified in a timely manner. If not, then

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 ISSUE 03

BOOK RECOMMENDATIONS...
SKUNKWORKS BY BEN R. RICH & LEO JANOS
This book tells the true story behind Layered through all of this are leadership
Lockheed’s legendary Skunk Works from lessons and great stories behind the
the perspective of the second man to take development of iconic and ground breaking
the reins and who carried the flame of Kelly planes such as the U2 spy-plane, SR-71
Johnson through two further decades of Blackbird and the F-117 Stealth Bomber.
incredible success. There is not much marine
or even heavy lift in here, but the story of
how to deliver research and development
that results in actual products delivered
against aggressive technological and
competitive barriers has lessons that ring
true and we can learn a lot from today.

From the advocacy of tight knit small teams,

supremely focused on a single goal, to
lessons on where to play loose with controls
and processes that can sometimes inhibit
a team’s development and reactiveness,
the book covers a great deal in an easy to
digest way.

RANGE BY DAVID EPSTEIN

“How generalists triumph in a specialised This is something that we talk about in

world…“ these pages regularly. In the field of heavy
lift engineering new technologies are
Much has been made of the 10,000 hour being perpetually developed and released.
rule and the concept that early specialisation In order to effectively deliver across the
is needed to excel in life. In his book, full offering of modern turnkey heavy lift
David Epstein makes a convincing case that projects, you need to compliment depth in a
breakthroughs in todays modern world, with chosen core field with a solid foundation in
its ever increasing depth of specialisations, all the others.
will come from generalists who have a
specialism in one subject but command
knowledge of many more.

There are a large number of compelling

examples in the book, some of which
have been contested, but the core premise
suggests, as the body of knowledge in the
world on any given topic increases at a
never ending pace, it drives a perpetual
narrowing and deepening of specialities.
Simply put, to be an expert, the volume
of knowledge that must be assimilated
becomes greater with each passing year.

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 THE HEAVYLIFT ENGINEER

HEAVY LIFT TIP

CRANES ON BARGES

fig. 06 / Barge and crane in situ

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 ISSUE 03

CRANES ON BARGES

The incident at Alphen aan den Rijn revealed Crane lifts on land require serious planning
a number of safety issues that occur when for a range of matters, including lift radius,
a crane is used on a barge. The collapse of ground conditions and load dimensions.
the two mobile construction cranes which However, when the lift calls for the crane
were standing on barges highlighted several to be on a floating platform, the risks and
serious shortcomings that should have been issues become even more complex. As well
addressed during the preparations for the as needing to determine the reduced lifting
lift, as well as recommendations to improve capacity of the crane due to the factors listed
risk management following the investigation. above, the stability of the whole system also
Although using cranes on barges is common needs to be considered. The vertical centre
practice, there are critical matters that need to of gravity is a significant factor in the stability
be considered before the lift commences. of the barge and knowing where this is at all
stages of a dynamic lift is paramount. In the
Mobile cranes are designed to be used on case of cranes on floating vessels, factors such
level ground. A mobile crane driver will be as the fact that on lifting a cargo clear the
meticulous about getting the crane level effect of the cog moves immediately to the
when setting the outriggers. This is because boom tip. Always ensure you have specialist
the slew ring bearings on land-based cranes assistance and that proper thought is given
are limited, typically, in out-of-level capacity to the various elements that come into play
by two degrees. Once you exceed this figure when a crane is subject to the dynamics of a
at maximum load, slew ring failure is a strong barge.
possibility. In addition, the fleet angle of crane
rope acting on the sheaves at the tip of the jib
is also limited. The sheaves are designed for
a vertical load, with only a slight out-of-plane
allowance. Written by Lindsay McDougall, Technical
Director, Malin Group
Although a typical flat top barge will have a
level surface, the equilibrium of the barge
will be affected by several factors such as the
load, ballasting and wind/wave conditions.
As soon as you introduce an off centre load
onto a barge - say by lifting a load using a
crane - the barge will want to tilt. This can be
countered by ballasting, but it is important to
note that this is rarely as quick as the crane
can take load. Any movement in the barge
will result in the crane limits discussed above
becoming close to being exceeded. In addition
to the above, any angle in the barge deck
can also result in a change in the lift radius
increasing load on the crane components
further.

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 THE HEAVYLIFT ENGINEER

LOCKDOWN LESSONS
These unusual times have had a lot written at the start - from initial interpretation on
about them on key issues such as struggles what is acceptable while on furlough to
with mental health, business cutbacks, failing to immediately update claims when
regulations and government assistance folk come off furlough in a rush to service
and what it means to try and work when work that comes in.
at home with the entire family. I thought I
would share our experiences and mistakes For example, we had put some senior
in case it provides any assistance to others. staff on furlough and told them to do no
work but maintain a watching brief on
The last point is perhaps the most their critical projects and flag up to those
common. I had a quote passed to me by still working if anything needs done… this
a colleague that noted this is not a period is not permitted. In another example, we
of working from home, but one of trying had a director on furlough under similar
to do work while forced to stay at home. conditions and then failed to take him off
This is not semantics but an important when he had to go on site for a rush job,
difference. I have had a half clothed six compounding the error. Similarly, we had a
year old come into Teams meetings and draughtsman re skill and do some training
ask that I tell everyone on the call how old to be able to work in Inventor… which
he is. I have had our last chicken (fox got is permitted… but one of the models he
the rest a few weeks ago) photo bomb created of a hatch found its way into a bid
a meeting. This is not business as normal as an example graphic… which is not.
and the message to our staff is to do
your best, but don’t worry if you have not My advice? Get guidance and do a root and
logged your allotted hours (and be careful branch review now and learn the lessons
if you are logging a lot more as work and so you can declare and correct errors
home life blur together). as we did. We were lucky when a staff
member pointed out these out to us which
The effect this lockdown has had on staff made us quickly stop and re-assess. We
forced to stay at home, in our experience, found errors in a minority of over 60 claims
is also wide and varied. Some thrive, some made, but nevertheless whether errors in
don’t. I have heard from most that there interpretation or procedure, mistakes they
are good days and bad days. Celebrate the certainly were. If we had not done the
good days and give yourself and your staff review, these would have compounded
time to recover from the bad ones. It has, and we possibly would have sailed on to a
however, lessened our apprehension for disaster.
working from home and it has forced us all
to employ the technology we had at our We also operate in a range of sectors. One
fingertips but were not utilising fully. When of these, transport and shipping, is deemed
back, first task for us will be a review with critical and so here we can continue to
everyone to see what positive lessons can work. But to do so, we have to put in
come from this experience. place procedures to ensure the setup and
working of a safe, temporary, marine site.
The furlough provisions from the
government were a welcome relief and a
huge help however, we made some errors

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 ISSUE 03

We also have a small fabrication facility be. Legislative compliance, staff well being,
based in Scotland, working on a range of and even just the day to day good running of
projects from defence to renewables. We had your business processes and updating when
implemented procedures and processes that required, which under normal circumstances is
allowed continuation of safe work. There was par for the course, all need a part of your time
some confusion in our sector though, whether as well.
or not this was permitted in Scotland and we
stood the team down for a week while we But don’t lose sight of the positives – time
investigated. Fortunately a clarifying question for training, increased use of technology and
in the Scottish Assembly made the position especially in our own case, a reminder of
clear and allowed us to restart projects the tenacity and team spirit of colleagues,
deemed critical,with all the right procedures even in the toughest times. And most of all,
in place. if at home, welcome the opportunity to turn
commuting time into family time.
Wider government support for the fall out
from this will need to be far reaching as
everyone adjusts to a new way of doing
things. The economic effects of this situation Written by John A. MacSween, Managing
in certain industries will reverberate for Director, Malin Group
years. The overarching message to owners
and managers though is that the risks to
your business are greater than just getting
revenue through the door, hard as that may

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 THE HEAVYLIFT ENGINEER

HEAVY LIFT TIP

DECK STRENGTH

HEAVYLIFT TIP - TRAILER

fig. 7 / Support secured on deck

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 ISSUE 03

DECK STRENGTH

When selecting a suitable vessel to In addition to the above, the loads due
transport project cargo, you often receive to the motion of the ship are often-
a very basic specification for the ship overlooked, i.e. the combination of static
itself, informing you of the ship’s main weight, heave acceleration and either roll
particulars and hold size. A key factor or pitch accelerations and motions. The
that is considered at this stage is the hold ships motions will increase these local
dimension; i.e. whether the project cargo deck loads further.
will fit. Sometimes the global deck load
capacity is considered, but this only tends If not properly engineered, there is risk
to be with respect to the Cargo's overall that the ship’s deck structure becomes
footprint area and weight vs the ship’s damaged due to extreme loads, which
deck capacity in tonnes per square metre. could lead to the cargo being damaged or
lost. However, the issue can be mitigated
Consider a hypothetical cargo weighing through structural analysis of the vessel’s
200 Te with a foot print of 10m x 8m (or deck structure in way of the supports
80m2). This would show a static deck load and implementing load-spreading where
of 2.5Te/m2, acceptable for most cargo required.
vessels, regardless of whether the cargo
is stowed on the tank-top, tween deck or In any case, you should always look to
hatch covers. engage a highly-skilled engineer – such
as a structural engineer or naval architect
However, issues can arise once the vessel - who can perform such checks on the
has been booked and further details of the vessels deck structure where there are
cargo are then later released. Suddenly it concerns over the deck strength.
is noted that the cargo has bearing pads or
support feet (4 off at 0.3m X 0.3m each)
and it is not permitted to support the cargo
anywhere else. Now we realise that the Written by Lindsay McDougall, Technical
static weight of 200Te is supported on a Director, Malin Group
total contact area of 0.36m2; the total area
of the supporting feet.

It should be clear that the static loading

has now increased from 2.5 Te/m2 to
555.5Te/m2 a significant increase in local
deck load.

21
 THE HEAVYLIFT ENGINEER

IS EXCEPTION A-3.5 THE

SOLUTION TO HEAVY LIFT/SEMI-
SUBMERSIBLE?
I have been involved with Ballast Water and U.S. BW regulations remain deaf to
Treatment since 2002 when the inventor of the operational realities of what could be
the Venturi Oxygen Stripping BWTS (BWTS), described as niche maritime operations.
Peter McNulty, came into my office and The extent of the impact both; numerically,
announced he had a great idea for a the number of vessels and operators,
Ballast Water Treatment System – VOS. and operationally, to the safe economic
Being a project manager at a company completion of work is, I believe, wildly
completing terrestrial water treatment, underestimated by regulators.
this statement meant nothing to me. How
things change… I had extended meetings in Holland
introducing VOS and actively discussed
I remember Peter’s call in 2004, “The getting the Dutch Administration to
Convention is Final” and went to work for propose an Exception to be added to
his N.E.I. Treatment Systems company in The Convention specifically for semi-
2006. N.E.I.’s VOS is a valid no filter BWTS, submersible Heavy Lift operations. In
the first BWTS to be “IMO” Type Approved 2010 The Netherlands presented MEPC 61
in 2007. Sometime after that we were with a document clearly describing the
approached to write a proposal for the “operational barriers” for these vessels,
Pioneer Spirit. I did a double take of the but no specific exception was passed.
ballasting numbers, then had a long call This leaves heavy lift vessels all having to
with the representative engineers. That comply with the The Convention. There is
was the first time I really got to think no recourse, only clean tanks before every
about the issues facing a semi-submersible in-place flood and discharge operation, or
heavy lift vessel or rig trying to operate treat all ballast water whether used for,
in compliance with the ballast water in-place ballasting, trim, transit ballasting
regulations. The best I could come up with or otherwise.
at the time was that VOS did not use filters
and was not flow constrained, normal The IMO’s BW Convention does list five
operation would require a VERY large Exceptions which allow a vessel to
system though. discharge without completing treatment
IF the conditions of the Exception are
The rapid in-place flooding and met. The fifth Exception, A-3.5, looks as
deballasting of a semi-submersible vessel though it should fit HL operations, allowing
is the “thing” which allows a semi-sub to a vessel with a conventional BWTS to
do its job in the way it was engineered complete in-place ballasting/deballasting,
to do – and there is no lack of specialized without treatment:
engineering on these vessels. But the IMO

22
 ISSUE 03

Regulation A-3 Exceptions…. no conditioning or treatment during

discharge, pumped or gravity. This is
5. the discharge of Ballast Water and attractive for all vessels as treatment/
Sediments from a ship at the same conditioning by in-line BWTS during
location where the whole of that Ballast discharge is the source of many non-
Water and those Sediments originated and compliant BW discharges.
provided that no mixing with unmanaged
Ballast Water and Sediments from other Second, and most applicable to heavy
areas has occurred. If mixing has occurred, lift operators: The ballast tank is the
the Ballast Water taken from other “treatment event”. This means a semi-
areas is subject to Ballast Water submersible can enter a project location
Management in accordance with this with its tanks registered as treated and
Annex. neutralized “ready for discharge” - whether
partially full or not does not matter. Once
At first glance it seems as though this at the project location the vessel can flood
exception should apply to a heavy lift any tanks by pump or gravity, and then
vessel. However, when reviewed with discharge any tanks, by pump or gravity
careful attention to operations and ballast and will not have to treat any of that water
tank construction it is soon understood until moving to the next location.
an in-place flood and drain operation will
leave much untreated ballast trapped in In the language of the exception; the
the tanks with no way for an in-line BWTS water and sediments in the tanks as the
to go back and treat. It does not matter vessel enters the project location have
if the flood and drain is by gravity or been fully “managed”. This fully managed
pumped, the exception will not apply. This water can be mixed with local water
is a very unforgiving situation for many and discharged in the same location. As
HL operations and until recently there was the vessel sails away it will have to treat
no way around either cleaning tanks or those tanks again, but the in “location”
treating all ballast waters. operations can all be completed without
treatment.
At MEPC 63 (2011) and MEPC (64 (2012)
Holland and Singapore submitted “Internal It is unfortunate the U.S. ballast water rules
Circulation” BWTS (ICBWTS) as solutions do not have the same Exception (VIDA may
for semi-submersible and drill rigs change this, lobbying will help), but for the
respectively. The submittals described how rest of the world a vessel which needs to
an ICBWTS meets A-3.5 but did not list any complete in-place ballasting/deballasting
commercially available systems. operations can do so without treatment.

Why does an ICBWTS satisfy Exception From an operational point of view, an

A-3.5? An ICBWTS makes each ballast ICBWT has many fundamental advantages
tank its own treatment event, there is for most vessel types; no filters, no
no untreated residual. This does lead to power use in port, no change to cargo
a larger control program and additional or ballasting activities, no matter BW
piping, but it makes two fundamental quality, reduced impact of failures - the
differences regarding compliance. vessel is at sea, control over compliance
(today’s sleeper issue in the BW regulatory
First: Treatment and neutralization is field) etc. Internal Circulation can be a
recorded in the tank before discharge fundamentally more elegant solution to
commences so the vessel’s technical BW compliance for a commercial vessel.
compliance with the TA Certificate is Internal Circulation is the way for a Heavy
already recorded before discharge begins, Lifter to satisfy Exception A-3.5.

23
 THE HEAVYLIFT ENGINEER

fig. 8 / Ocean Onyx Deckhouse

24
 ISSUE 03

fig. 9 / inTank BWTS in situ – single unit serving all four pontoons

If IC is such a good solution, why are there inTank has received orders for; Capes from
no ICBWTS on the market? For years the CMB Bocimar and Alpha Bulkers, Heavy
Cold Harbour inert gas based ICBWTS has Lifts from NYK, MR’s from Enterprises
been available but without USCG Type and VLCC’s from Pantheon Tankers and a
Approval. More recently another ICBWTS leading ME VLCC owner operator, with half
has come to market; Using DNV-GL as the a dozen systems now installed.
Independent Laboratory inTank was USCG/
IMO Type Approved last year. inTank is a Significantly for semi-submersible vessels,
BWTS product of Envirocleanse LLC based in Diamond Offshore installed inTank aboard
Houston Texas. their recommissioned semi-submersible rig
the Ocean Onyx. This sale was specifically
As an independent Consultant in 2016, I because inTank allows a semi-submersible
read the first Press Release for the inTank to complete its normal operations with
BWTS. I’d not heard of Envirocleanse, minimal disruption due to ballast water
but I’d heard of Berkshire Hathaway, treatment.
the owner of their parent company so
I reached out to Matt Hughes, VP at
Envirocleanse. I was soon sure this ICBWTS
would make it to market, now it has. Written by Giles Candy, Envirocleanse LLC

25
 THE HEAVYLIFT ENGINEER

HEAVY LIFT TIP

HOOK HEIGHTS

HEAVYLIFT TIP - TRAILER

fig. 10 / Crane with high hook height

26
 ISSUE 03

HOOK HEIGHTS

Most people involved in heavy lift and • Crane specification; when using mobile
cargo loading operation are familiar with cranes for lifting cargo we need to
the term ‘Hook Height’ describing the take care to consider the available
vertical distance from the ground up to the hook height for the total lift weight
highest point the crane hook can go. at the various radii of the lift. As the
mobile crane booms out (increasing
When it comes to loading project cargo radius) the available hook height
or any crane lift really, getting this wrong decreases as a function of the boom
could be the difference between being length and radius of interest. Thus we
able to complete the lift or not. So, what need to consider the hook height at
are the factors that could adversely affect the following radii; initial lift, hatch
the ‘Hook Height’ (HH) of a lift? coaming or vertical obstruction and set
down.
• Height of cargo lift points, the higher
these are the less height there is left It should be noted that although you can
for the lift. get a crane capable of lifting a particular
• Lift rigging; the height of the rigging weight at the required radius it may not
between the hook and cargo lifting have the available hook height when the
points, this height is added to the 4 points above are considered and a large
height of the lift points and the total crane may be required.
subtracted from the hook height.
The rigging arrangement will further When discussing your lifting requirements
reduce the available hook height. with your designated ‘Appointed Person,’
• Height of hatch coaming above quay make sure they are given all the relevant
side during lift, or any other vertical information with respect to lifting radii,
obstruction we need to lift over. On obstructions, height of lift points and lift
tidal berths the height of the hatch rigging requirements. Early engagement
coaming will vary with the state with a suitable lifting specialist will help to
of tide, i.e. at high water the hatch ensure you have the right crane with the
coaming will be at the highest point available hook height to perform the lift.
above the quay and so this height
is also subtracted from the available
hook height.
Written by Lindsay McDougall, Technical
Director, Malin Group

27
 COMING UP IN AUTUMN 2020
HEAVYLIFT MAGAZINE EDITION 4:
FEATURING ARTICLES ON MOORING ANALYSIS, DESIGN OF SHIP
BUILD AND TRANSPORTATION CRADLES FOR FLOAT OFF LAUNCHES
& KEY HEAVY LIFT TIP - “SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT”

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