The following case study is from CHIRP Maritime’s Superyacht Feedback. It is the first superyacht-specific programme and publication dedicated to improving safety in the maritime industry through vital knowledge sharing, anonymous reporting, analysis and feedback via the Superyacht Maritime Advisory Board.

Initial report
The mooring bitts pictured above had a D-ring attached to them, which was used as the strong point for connecting a rope stopper. When the weight of the mooring line came onto the stopper, the D-ring’s connecting screws sheared off, and the D-ring was fired into the air towards the mooring party. Luckily, no one was injured.

CHIRP comment
Stoppers – and whatever they are connected to – must be capable of supporting the loads transmitted through the mooring lines. The small-diameter screws connecting this D-ring to the bitts were entirely inadequate for this task. A better arrangement would be to attach the standing end of the stopper around the bitt or a nearby cleat.

Factors related to this incident
Design: If your superyacht has a similar design, ask the manufacturers to confirm its safe working load (SWL).

Local practices: Any equipment designed to take a load should be documented in the vessel’s SMS and inspected/tested as appropriate.

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CHIRP Maritime

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