Unit 3: Cargo Gear: Use, Care & Maintenance.

Difference between Natural and Synthetic ropes:

Rope may be constructed from:
Natural fibres: such as cotton, coir, hemp, manila and sisal.
Or from…..
Synthetic fibres: Synthetic fibre ropes are made from four main yarn
groups and with the exception of nylon, the more expensive the
fibre, the stronger the rope with less stretch.

Examples are polyamide (nylon), polyester (terylene), polythene and

polypropylene or a mixture of some of these synthetic fibres.

Properties of Natural Ropes:

Cotton rope is mainly used on yachts, being soft and pliable. It also
knots well.
Coir rope is both buoyant and elastic but lacking in strength.

Sometimes referred to as grass line, coir is obtained from the fibres

of coconut husks. It is mainly exported from Sri Lanka (formerly
Ceylon) and ports in India. It is a very rough, coarse and hairy rope,
with only about one quarter the strength of a hemp rope. However, it
is very light and floats, possessing great elasticity.

Hemp rope Hemp rope was used in the age of sailing ships, though
the rope had to be protected by tarring to prevent rot.

Tarring was a labour-intensive process, and earned sailors the

nickname "Jack Tar".
Hemp rope was phased out when Manila, which does not require
tarring, became widely available. Manila is sometimes referred to
as Manila hemp.

Manila rope Manila is obtained from the abaca (wild banana) plant,
which grows, largely in the Philippine Islands, and is exported via the
port of Manila, from which it acquires its name.

Manila rope is not as durable as hemp, but is most certainly more

pliable and softer. It is gold-brown in colour, and never tarred.

It is not generally used for running rigging because it swells and

expands, often jamming in the block.

Although it swells when wet, it is considered by far the strongest

natural rope made and was the preferred choice before the synthetic
fibres were developed.

Manila still maintains some advantage over synthetic fibres as it is

not affected by heat and UV radiation. It is in general used for
Lifeboat falls, cargo handling, lashings and moorings.

Sisal rope:

This rope’s name comes from the plant it’s made of, namely Agave
sisalana. It is much appreciated because it costs less, but it has the
tendency to become coarse and relatively bulky. Other than that, it is
stiff, strong, durable and it has the capacity to resist deterioration in
salted water. It is commonly used as tying twine. However, chemicals
and moisture shorten its lifespan.

Properties of Synthetic ropes:

Polyamide (Nylon) rope, the most elastic and strongest of all

synthetic fibre ropes, resists alkalis, oils, organic solvents and rot.
0
Melting point 250 C.
Mainly used for springs and tow ropes, also used by stevedores for
cargo work.
Good resistance to UV radiation.
0
Polyester (Terylene) rope with a melting point of 260 C has the
highest resistance to fusing of all synthetic fibres. It resists acids, oils,
organic solvents, bleaching agents and rot. Stretches less than Nylon
and is used on yachts or where stretch is not desired.
0
Polythene rope with a melting point of 135 C has the least resistance
to fusing of all synthetic fibres. Buoyant, it resists alkalis, oils,
bleaching agents and rot. Used for loglines and halyards. Light weight
and flexible and a type of fibre that floats.

Polypropylene rope is made in three types, "Fibrefilm",

"monofilament", and "staple".
The main difference being is in the elastic property of the rope, the
least elastic and lightest of the synthetic fibre ropes, it has a melting
0
point of 165 C and is buoyant. Resists acids, alkalis, oils and rot.

Size for size, all natural fibre ropes have a lower breaking strain than
synthetic ropes, need more care, can shrink and put extra strain on
gear and nowadays are more difficult to source.

But natural fibre ropes can be cheaper.

2. Understanding breaking Stress, SWL and factor of safety of
Ropes, wires and chains.

Stress: denotes the load put on material.

Strain: is the molecular disturbance made evident by a change of
shape or a fracture of the material due to the stress that has been
applied.
In simple words it is the result in the properties of a material after
the stress is applied.
The term Breaking Stress (BS) or Ultimate Load is the load or weight
applied to the material when testing to destruction.

SWL or Safe working load (Working Load Limit): is like a safety

rating given to any piece of gear. It is the maximum load that a rope,
wire or chain or any gear in good condition, be subjected to without
fear of breaking.

It is also known as WLL or Working Load Limit.

Factor of Safety: Every item used in a rigging has a BS from which a

SWL may be found by dividing the BS by a factor of safety for the
function of the gear.

It is common practice to allow a ’Factor of Safety’ of six in general

marine work for both fibre and wire rope.

Wire slings can have a ’Factor of Safety’ of five in some cases and
allow a Factor of Safety of five for chain.

One of the safety precautions to be observed when using ropes,

wires or chains or any gear is NOT to exceed its Safe Working Load
(SWL).
At no time should any attempt be made to lift weights in excess of
the SWL of the weakest part of the gear.

SWL = BS/Factor of Safety

For example if a rope has a BS of 600 kg what will it’s SWL be? The
answer is:

600/6 = 100 kg.

EXAMPLE: Calculate the size of manila rope to use if the stress on the
hauling part will be not greater than 3 tonnes.

Use the formula:

2D₂/300 as the breaking strain for manila rope.

BS/6=SWL

As the given stress on the hauling part = 3 tonnes, the SWL = 3

tonnes.

2D₂/300 = 3 X 6

D₂=2700

D=51.96= 52 mm

Maintenance of ropes and wires used for cargo gear:

Wires on cargo gear are left exposed to the elements, which are
generally wind, salt water, and funnel emissions.

These are corrosive elements, and poorly protected or lubricated

wires will deteriorate.

Ideally, wires should be removed from their drums for a thorough

inspection, care being taken that broken wires don’t snag and cause
injury to those personnel handling the wires.
Once the inspection is complete, wires should be cleaned and
lubricated.

One of the most common methods of greasing wires is either by the

use of a rag covered in grease or with brushes dipped in grease and
smeared over the wire.

This is an ineffective method, as the wire isn’t cleaned of the old

grease, there is no grease penetrating to the core of the wire etc.,
new grease is merely spread over the surface of the old grease, salt,
soot and other contaminants.

This layer of grease only serves to further contaminate surface of the

wire with anything that comes into contact with it.

There are proprietary wire rope cleaners/lubricators available, many

of which consist of a sleeve clamped around the wire, into which
compressed air forces grease or specialised oil.

Some of these cleaners have rotary collar brushes that follow the
grooves of the wire, others have rubber collars; all scrape off the old
grease before injecting fresh lubricant into the wire as the wire is
slowly pulled through the sleeve.

The collars are interchangeable, so different sizes can be used for

different size wires.

These can generally be used in situ, with adaptable flexible

mountings, so can be used on cranes, davits, winches, etc. There are
also a number of fixed systems available whereby the lubricating unit
is permanently rigged on the crane or other appliance.
Another method for cleaning wires (except mooring wires as they
tend to be too big) is for the wire to be removed completely from its
spool and placed in a container of kerosene or similar.

This dissolves the old grease, right into the core of the wire. When
new grease is applied to the outside of the wire, the remaining
kerosene draws fresh lubricant into the wire.

Lubricants applied to wire ropes provide a dual form of protection

such that individual wires are protected from each other and the
whole wire is protected from the corrosive action of sea water.

In order to understand the importance of lubrication, it is necessary

to understand that a wire, when in use, is a dynamically complex
mechanical unit comprising of a number of moving parts. As a wire
passes over a sheave or round a roller it is subjected to corrosion,
bending, tension and compressive stresses as it equalises the effects
of the load imparted upon it.

The lubricant added to the wire during the manufacturing process

allows this equalisation process to occur with the minimum of
abrasion / deterioration to the individual wires in a strand. It should
therefore be apparent that applying a coating of grease to an old
contaminated layer of grease serves little purpose as it cannot
penetrate the wire.

Any form of rope is liable to wear and mechanical damage and can be
weakened by various means, including chemical, heat and light.
Regular inspection is essential to ensure that ropes are serviceable
before use.

When not in use as on a passage the rope used for cargo gear should
be stowed in a clean, dry area free from heat and away from
chemicals.
Maintenance and Care of fibre ropes:

Unless otherwise stated, all fibre ropes are liable to deteriorate with
static, or when exposed to strong sunlight, chemical fumes, heat,
sparks and by abrasion, or when contaminated by acids, alkalis,
bleaching agents,, oils and organic solvents.

In the event of contamination, the rope should be immediately

washed with fresh water and closely inspected for damage.
Natural fibre ropes are particularly subject to damage from mildew
and rot and must not be stowed away wet.

Rope should never be stored in the vicinity of steam pipes or boilers.

When stowed on deck, fibre ropes should be covered with tarpaulin
canvas in order to exclude damage from weather and strong sunlight.
Never leave the end of a rope to fray.
Put a whipping on.
Chain Register:

The Chain Register is a legal document similar to the Oil record book
or the Official log book.

It is a declaration on the ships part that her cargo gear complies with
the regulations.

In the event of an accident caused through failure of the ship’s gear,

it would be treated as a piece of evidence.

The tests, examinations and inspections included in the register are

based on the requirements of the ILO Convention 152.
The tests are intended to ensure that ships having lifting appliances
are initially certified by a competent person and to establish that
they continue to be in safe working order.

The information contained on the face or cover of the chain register

is as follows:

 1. Name of the Ship.

 2. Official Number.
 3. Call Sign.
 4. Port of registry.
 5. Name of the owner.
 6. Date of Issue.
 7. Issued by.
 8. Signature and Stamp.

The entries required in the Chain register are divided into four parts.

 Part I : Entries concerning four yearly examinations and Annual

examinations of derricks and permanent attachments.
 Part II : Entries concerning thorough Annual examinations of
Cranes, winches and hoists. Accessory gear other than derrick is
also included.
 Part III : Entries concerning the thorough annual examination of
gear exempted from annealing.
 Part IV: Entries concerning annealing of gear.
 Test certificates are attached to the register by means of
gummed strips provided on the inside cover.
The register is designed for 8 years and must be retained on board
for four years after the new register comes into use.
Wire Rope Examination:

The required intervals between on board inspections should be

documented by the manufacturer and is dependent upon the use,
size and construction of the wire. These intervals should be
transferred to the vessel’s planned maintenance system.

The general condition of a wire should be monitored whenever it is in

use. Specific inspections should however concentrate on signs of
deterioration and damage. A formal inspection should be undertaken
by a responsible person before work commences and if shock-loading
is suspected.

The time interval between subsequent inspections can be reduced by

the competent person due to the condition of the wire.

For crane wire, the following points should be covered by

examination:

Although the wire rope shall be examined throughout its length,

particular care shall be taken at the following locations:

a) The termination points of both moving and stationary ropes;

b) The part of the rope which passes over the block or over sheaves;

c) In the case of cranes performing a repetitive operation, any part of

the rope which lies over sheave(s) while the crane is in a loaded
condition;

d) Any part of the rope which may be subject to abrasion by external

features (e.g. hatch coamings);

f) Internals of the rope, for corrosion and fatigue;

g) Any part of the rope exposed to heat.

These should stand as guidelines for inspecting wires associated with
lifeboat / life raft / rescue boat davits, accommodation ladders and
gangways etc.

Records should be maintained detailing the changing condition of a

wire throughout its life-cycle.

Details that should be recorded include the number and location of

individual broken wires, any flattening of the surface of the wire, any
signs of abrasion, kinking, etc.

This would allow for progressive monitoring of the wire, and allow for
programming additional maintenance and for replacement wires to
be purchased in good time.

Discard criteria:

 Deterioration frequently is the result of a combination of

factors, including:
 1. The nature and number of broken wires. Wire ropes which
have broken wires in strands should be replaced. Whenever
10% of wires are broken in any eight (8) diameters length, the
wire should be condemned.
 2. Reduction of rope diameter.
 3. Decreased elasticity.
 4. Wear
 5. Corrosion – internal and external
 6. Deformation, including ‘bird cages’, kinks, etc.
 7. Damage due to heat or electric arcing
 8. Rate of increase of permanent elongation.