RightShip has announced that Wilhelmsen Ships Service (Wilhelmsen), a maritime solution provider, has joined RightShip’s Zero Harm Innovation Partners Program (ZHIP).
Through this collaboration, Wilhelmsen will showcase its advanced products, the Timm Snap Back Arrestor (SBA™) rope and the Line Management Plan (LMP™), which underscore its dedication to safer mooring practices.
Mooring operations pose significant safety challenges, as evidenced by the rising number of incidents in ports such as Rotterdam, where reported accidents increased from 122 in 2020 to 159 in 2023. These incidents often lead to injuries, highlighting the need for enhanced safety measures.
According to a statement, Wilhelmsen aims to reduce mooring-related risks through a combination of active and passive safety measures. Active measures like the LMP™ focus on decreasing the likelihood of accidents, while passive measures such as the SBA™ aim to lessen the severity of incidents if they occur.
The SBA™ rope, the world’s first and only anti-snap-back rope certified by DNV, is acclaimed as the safest mooring rope available. It significantly mitigates the danger of snap back, ensuring the safest working conditions for crew members.
“Being a part of RightShip’s ZHIP is a testament to Wilhelmsen’s dedication to enhancing mooring safety standards in the maritime industry. Our aim is to drive a positive change in the maritime industry and collaborate with other partners in the program to find ways to improve safety at sea,” commented Thomas Caradec, product management and planning director, Mooring Solutions, Wilhelmsen.
The SBA™’s innovative design emphasizes energy absorption, with its core functioning as a non-load-bearing component under normal conditions. If the load-bearing structure fails, the core absorbs part of the snap-back energy, drastically reducing snap-back forces.
Additionally, the LMP™ facilitates rope management by documenting evaluation methods and criteria for determining when lines should be retired. This cloud-based platform provides real-time insights into rope usage and maintenance, serving as a digital logbook for storing rope certificates, managing inventory, and accessing inspection history. By offering a comprehensive overview of all ropes on board and a history of their usage and inspections, the LMP™ enhances safety and optimizes crew efficiency, ensuring compliance with safety regulations.
Developed following the updated Mooring Equipment Guidelines (MEG4) from the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF), the LMP™ provides ship operators with a robust tool for managing their mooring lines inventory.
