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• The management of mooring operations is a key aspect of the management of ships and ensuring the safety of seafarers. The fourth edition of the Mooring Equipment Guidelines (MEG4) issued by OCIMF recognises this and outlines many of the related requirements. This is further reinforced with references to the various planning procedures in the seventh edition of the Vessel Inspection Questionnaire (VIQ7).

• INTERTANKO has issued new guidance which covers the implementation of the Standard “Mooring System Management Plan (MSMP)”, the “Mooring System Management Plan Register (MSMPR)” which is a subset of the MSMP and the “Line Management Plan (LMP)”.  This guidance is developed to help Members comply with MEG4 and to address the questions in VIQ7. 

• These plans are new tools to assist Members with managing equipment and lines from design to retirement. MEG4 states that the plans should remain on the ship throughout its life as part of the management of change records to ensure that documents and records are not lost and it is recommended that all information relevant to the mooring of the ship is considered together as a complete system. The plans should also include a record of any changes that have occurred to the mooring equipment and arrangements since the vessel was built

• Mooring System Management Plan: The MSMP should be written to ensure the mooring system is inspected, maintained and operated in accordance with the original design basis. The information contained should be available to anyone who needs to review it. The MSMP is to be ship specific and complement the ship’s safety management system. Through a ‘goal-based’ approach, core elements of the mooring system are identified against which high level ‘goals’ are established supported by more detailed ‘functional requirements’. A register of the mooring system components is maintained for the ship’s life in an accompanying Mooring System Management Plan Register.

The MSMP should contain the following:

• Part A – General ship particulars 
• Part B – Mooring equipment design philosophy 
• Part C – Detailed list of mooring equipment 
• Part D – Inspection, maintenance and retirement strategies
• Part E – Risk and change management, safety of personnel, and human factors
• Part F – Records and documentation
• Part G – Mooring System Management Plan Register (MSMPR) 

• Line Management Plan: Contained within section 5.4.2 of Mooring Equipment Guidelines (MEG4) is a description of the Line Management Plan (LMP). The LMP is specific to an operator, ship type, and trade route; however, MEG4 gives general guidance on establishing a LMP. The LMP should contain all the requirements for how the lines are maintained, inspected and retired and each of these parts should be detailed in the plan. For example, in the maintenance section it should detail the installation, storage, repair, maintenance and wear and tear, while at every stage referencing any manufacturer’s guidance. Similarly, the inspection section should detail how and when the inspection should be undertaken.

Typical components include:

• Records of mooring hours.
• Line inspection records and plans.
• Manufacturer and operator retirement criteria.
• Test/inspection reports.
• Manufacturer’s recommendations following tests or inspections.

• MEG4 stresses that it is the responsibility of the operator to ensure the proper development and implementation of the LMP. As with the Mooring System Management Plan Register (MSMPR), it is a live document and can be held either in hard or soft version. It should, however, be integrated into the ship’s document control system and be subject to change management controls to ensure a complete history. The LMP should be easily accessible for internal and external compliance verification, ship personnel training and communication with manufacturers by those who need to use it.

• Ship owners, operators and Masters are advised to be guided by the attached INTERTANKO Guidance on Mooring System Management Plans and Guidance on Line Management Plans.

Enclosure:

• INTERTANKO Guidance on Mooring System Management Plans.

• INTERTANKO Guidance on Line Management Plans.

Disclaimer:

This Technical Circular and the material contained in it is provided only for the purpose of supplying current information to the reader and not as an advice to be relied upon by any person. While we have taken utmost care to be as factual as possible, readers/ users are advised to verify the exact text and content of the Regulation from the original source/ issuing Authority.

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