.
Last week The Heavy Lift Exchange Forum, a working group initiated by DNV, organised a reception at Jumbo’s Head Office in Rotterdam. The reception was to annouce the publication of the “Guidance on Stability of Lifts”, a comprehensive operational guideline aimed at enhancing the safety and stability of heavy lift operations published by the working group. This collaborative achievement marks a milestone in the heavy lift sector by addressing a crucial gap: providing specific guidance for complex cargo shapes where established procedures were previously unclear or absent. The guideline is the result of years of work by industry leaders, including:
The guidance brings together decades of experience and expertise from leading heavy lift shipping companies, resulting in a structured approach for assessing lifting stability. With a focus on clear, step-by-step procedures, the guideline ensures a common understanding among engineers and operators, enhancing predictability and safety across various heavy lift scenarios.
The key features and benefits are:
“The paper fills a significant gap in existing heavy lift guidance by providing methods and data for achieving a ‘stable lift’ – one that remains balanced under predefined disturbing factors,” said Karsten Behrens, Managing Director of SAL Engineering GmbH. This stability is crucial for reducing risks to life, property, and the environment during hazardous heavy lift operations.
.To further enhance its practical utility, the guidance compares and applies multiple stability assessment methods, including:
Each method is explored in terms of complexity, accuracy, and applicability, helping users make informed decisions tailored to specific lifting operations. The guideline also includes comprehensive mathematical formulas and considerations for factors like wind force, crane movement, CoG shifts, and rigging length tolerances.
The “Guidance on Stability of Lifts” stands as a testament to the power of industry collaboration and shared expertise. “By working together, we have created a valuable tool that empowers engineers and technical operators in heavy lifting to make better-informed decisions, increasing safety and reducing risks during challenging operations,” noted Sebastian Becker, Team Lead CAD Design at SAL Engineering GmbH.
Developed by a sub-working group of the Heavy Lift Exchange Forum, this guideline underscores the forum’s commitment to advancing the safety and efficiency of heavy lift operations.
The document has been made available by the working group and can be downloaded from Jumbo Maritime on this link.
Heavy Lift News thanks the Heavy Lift Exchange Forum for their invitation to the reception.
Source and photographs courtesy of 
