New collaboration aims to enhance mooring safety

According to RightShip, this initiative, launched in March 2024, aims to enhance safety and sustainability in the maritime sector by collaborating with innovative technology providers. Wilhelmsen aims to contribute its products designed to improve safety during mooring operations.

The partnership between RightShip and Wilhelmsen underscores a mutual commitment to addressing safety challenges in mooring operations, especially in ports experiencing increasing incidents.

Mooring and unmooring operations are routine yet hazardous activities onboard ships, often leading to serious incidents and injuries. These incidents typically fall into three categories: equipment failures, line breakages, and incidents involving parted lines slipping off drum ends or bitts. Despite efforts to mitigate risks, a significant majority—over 90%—of incidents are attributed to these latter two categories.

The entire mooring deck is considered a danger zone due to the dynamic nature of mooring lines during cargo operations, tide changes, and weather variations. Historically, safety measures such as designated snap-back danger zones on decks have been implemented, but incidents have demonstrated the insufficiency of these approaches. It took a series of serious accidents to recognize the pervasive hazards across the entire mooring deck, prompting a reassessment of safety protocols.

Industry stakeholders continue to work towards enhancing safety protocols and practices during mooring operations, emphasizing the critical importance of meticulous maintenance and rigorous adherence to safety procedures. Despite these efforts, ongoing vigilance and improvement are essential to further reduce the incidence of accidents and injuries associated with mooring operations at sea.

By leveraging Wilhelmsen’s solutions, both organizations aim to promote safer practices and contribute to a safer maritime industry overall.