‘BLT is driving safer standards in the maritime industry’

BLT Ports and Marine Services Ltd is a licensee and exclusive representative of Bollard Load Testing Ltd (BLT), UK. The company was established in January 2016 with the aim of testing the integrity and safe working load (SWL) of bollards in Nigeria as a focus and eventually spreading out into West Africa. In this interview, Akinade Adeleye, business manager of BLT, speaks to BusinessDay on issues experienced with bollard failures as well as the needs and challenges faced in testing the SWL of mooring bollards. Excerpts:

What do you mean by the integrity of bollards?

The integrity of a bollard is measured by ascertaining the safe working load (SWL) of that bollard. In lay man’s terms, it is confirming a bollard can withstand forces up to the tonnage of that bollard. An oft overlooked area when it comes to the safe mooring of vessels in ports, shipyards, and harbors is testing the safe working load of bollards. With the size of vessels ever-increasing, the time has come to focus and raise the issues that have been experienced with bollard failure, as well as the challenges faced in testing the SWL of bollards.

Where are these bollards located?

Well, bollards are located along the quayside and are used to moor in vessels. Another term for bollards are mooring pins or fixings. Obviously, the quayside is located along a jetty, pier, shipyard, harbors, terminals or ports.

Why is it important to test these mooring bollards?

Bollards and fixings may suffer from corrosion, fatigue and other effects which may weaken the bollard or supporting structure over a period of time. Such damage may not be immediately apparent and may have serious consequences on the ability of a bollard to withstand the force being exerted upon it. Although Bollards are anticipated to have a long life, with many being in use for 40, 50, or even 60 years plus. However, bollards with such a long life-span were not always designed to moor the new generation of mega-ships. The forces experienced by bollards are considerable, magnitude may be up to 2000kn (200 tonnes plus) with even larger bollards used as supple- mentary mooring in storm conditions. Bollards experience multiple forces from any direction within 180 degrees of the quayside. Mooring lines will be used to limit movement caused by combina- tions of surge and other motions. The vertical component of the force may vary substantially by: • different types of vessels moored • vessel draught changes in ballast or cargo weight • surging away from the quay by wind, water, current or tidal conditions • passing vessel movement (ship draw) A further problem identified is the move to use ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMwPE) rope as moor- ing line for vessels. It is not only vessels that have increased in size, mooring lines have also increased, and in some cases these have become too large to handle. Although UHMwPE is a fantastic product, 15-times stronger than high-quality steel, by using it in an effort to counter the weight handling issue may create as many problems as it solves. For example, if a vessel with nylon mooring ropes was drawn off the quay for whatever reason, the mooring rope would have normally stretched due to its elasticity and then returned to its normal state, thereby absorbing the load. However, UHMwPE has a very low elasticity and when the vessel is drawn off the quay, the load is transferred straight to the bollard and quay as a repeated shock load. This can be many times above the design factor.

You said the testing of bollards has been overlooked, do you mean to say there are no current means of testing bollards?

Put simply; there isn’t any. The much talked about and rarely witnessed use of a tug to test a bollard would be both expensive and highly dangerous. This process – ‘Tug Pull’, is a scenario where a mooring line from the Tug boat is fastened to a bollard and the tug pulls away from the quayside into the sea. From a technical stand point, this actually speeds up the weakening and damaging process of not only the bollard but also the surrounding structure of the quay. However, BLT has created a unique solution to this. Launched in 2015, the Bollard Load Test equipment is a fully calibrated and safe method of testing the working load of bollards that is practical, portable and easily deployable. A hydraulic pulling cylinder is the tensioning means. The measuring device can be a load pin or a load cell measuring hydraulic pressure in the cylinder that converts to tonnes. A hydraulic cylinder is capable of producing the very large forces that may be experienced by a bollard when used for mooring a vessel. The tensioning means is by attaching a Dyneema® (UHMwPE) custom designed rope between the bollards and the hydraulic cylinder. The measuring device is a pressure transducer fitted to the hydraulic cylinder to relay pressure back to a digital gauge in a remote location. To carry out a test the maximum force expected to be applied by a moored vessel must be simulated. Other tests can apply vertical tension to anchor or fixing bolts. However, such tests cannot guarantee the performance of the bollard under realistic loading conditions, which combine sheer force, tensile forces and overturning moments. They cannot verify the integrity of the full mooring assembly comprising of: • bollard body • anchor or bolts • concrete or other supporting structure The objective of the bollard load testing equipment is to substantially reduce or to remove the identified problems. Although the bollard load testing equipment cannot simulate in every direction, it can simulate the spring lines at various angles up to 20 degrees. Depending upon the type of bollard and how the Dyneema® is attached to the bollard, it can simulate bow and stern lines, to create a turning moment, giving a great deal of confi- dence in the bollard and its surrounding\structure.

Who is responsible for this equipment and what kind of awareness is available at the moment?

The Bollard Load Testing equipment is the result of over two years’ research, development and testing by Bollard Load Testing UK marine engineering specialists who have designed a fully calibrated, and easily deployable way of testing the strength of marine bollards. The development of the equipment is the result of Port of Tyne UK seeking a solution to test the integrity and safety of their quayside bollards when previous enquiries elsewhere had not provided anything fit for purpose. After carrying out 25 plus test projects around the UK, BLT has extended the service by now having Licenced Service Contractors set up to test bollards for Germany through Bollard Load Testing Germany GmbH, and also Nigeria with BLT Ports and Marine Services Ltd who have purchased the innovative equipment and been trained in the UK to us it. There is also interest for similar arrangements from Northern Ireland, Turkey, Australia, the Bahamas, South Korea, South East Asia and the USA. The long term ambition of the business is to create a register of safe bollards so shipping companies can check the safe working load before mooring. Ports can also have a true record of its bollard asset as BLT experience leads it to believe they do not.

How is the load applied during a test and how long does it take to carry out a bollard test with your equipment?

By using a hydraulic cylinder that is attached to the rig and gradually increasing the pressure in staggered progression. That is 25% then hold, 50% then hold, 75% then hold and finally 100%. Furthermore, a typical test should take approximately 30 minutes to conduct.

How is a test deemed to be successful and what determines a failed test?

When the bollard successfully holds the maximum static load we conclude it a successful test. On the other hand, catastrophic failure- the bollard is separated from the quay, surrounding structure cracks or fixing bolts snap. Or if the load indicator does not hold a steady load and is steadily dropping. This would determine that there may be potential movement in the bollard and structure surrounding it

. You mentioned the importance of bollard load testing, could you reaf- firm why it is imperative for ports, jetty owners and the whole marine industry to be aware of this? Health and safety best practices. “Why should we do it?

is a common question across the world and when it comes to the question of bollard load testing as there is no specific legislation that needs to be met, why should ports spend money on this area?” The convincing difficul- ties often arise with financial controllers who do not have the responsibility and accountability for mooring problems. Justifying a new budget area for expen- diture on bollard testing preventative maintenance – other than a visual in- spection and quick lick of paint, is the challenge. The importance of the task of proving fit-for-purpose safe working load can be negated, until a failure prompts financial consequences, and worse. The consequences of bollard failure are not limited to injury, damage to quaysides, surrounding structures, vessels and other properties or even fatalities. It will also lead to delayed Operations and economical losses. Therefore, the major viable reasons for periodic testing in a nutshell include: Because there is simply nothing out there that meets the need for testing the integrity of bollards. Because Certificates will be issued after tests are carried out. Increased H.S&E Consciousness and awareness of your existing bollards and surrounding structures Because you will have documented evidence for Insurance claims. Because our systems are standardized, meet OEM and International requirements. Because our systems are cost effective and easy to deploy. These and other consequences suggest it is wise to test quayside bollards at regular intervals. Due to the increasing size of vessels, it should now be mandatory.