0027/nd guidelines for Marine Lifting and Lowering Operations

Particle Inspection 
A Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) process for detecting surface and slightly 
subsurface discontinuities in ferroelectric materials such as iron 
MWS 
Marine Warranty Surveyor 
NDT /
Non Destructive 
Testing 
Ultrasonic scanning, magnetic particle inspection, eddy current inspection 
or radiographic imaging or similar. May include visual inspection. 
Net weight 
The calculated or weighed weight of a structure, with no contingency or 
weighing allowance 
NTE weight / 
Not To Exceed 
weight 
Sometimes used in projects to define the maximum possible weight of a 
structure, excluding lift rigging. 
Operation Duration 
The planned duration of the operation from the forecast prior to the Point of 
No Return to a condition when the operations /structures can safely 
withstand a seasonal design storm (also termed “safe to safe” duration); 
this excludes the contingency period.
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GUIDELINES
 
FOR
 
MARINE
 
LIFTING
 
&
 
LOWERING
 
OPERATIONS 
0027/ND Rev 11 
 
Page 15 of 84 
Term or Acronym 
Definition 
Operational 
reference period 
The Operation Duration, plus the contingency period 
Padear 
A lift point consisting of a central member, which may be of tubular or flat 
plate form, with horizontal trunnions round which a sling or grommet may 
be passed 
Padeye 
A lift point consisting essentially of a plate, reinforced by cheek plates if 
necessary, with a hole through which a shackle may be connected 
PLEM 
Pipe Line End Manifold 
PLET 
Pipe Line End Termination 
PNR / 
Point of No Return 
The last point in time, or a geographical point along a route, at which an 
operation could be aborted and returned to a safe condition 
RAO 
Response Amplitude Operator 
Reduction Factor, 

r
The Reduction Factor used in the design of slings or grommets 
representing the largest values of 

b
and 

s
.
Rigging 
The slings, shackles and other devices including spreaders used to 
connect the structure to be lifted to the crane 
Rigging Weight 
The total weight of rigging, including slings, shackles and spreaders, 
including contingency. 
Rope 
The unit rope from which a cable laid sling or grommet may be constructed, 
made from either 6 or 8 strands around a steel core, as indicated in ISO 
Refs. [9] & [10] and IMCA, Ref. [7]. 
ROV 
Remote Operated Vehicle 
Seafastenings 
The means of restraining movement of the loaded structure on or within the 
barge or vessel 
SHL / 
Static Hook Load 
The Hook Load is the Gross Weight or NTE weight plus the rigging weight 
Single Laid Sling 
A cable made up of 6 ropes laid up over a core rope, as shown in ISO, 
Ref. [9] and [10], with terminations each end. 
SKL / 
Skew Load Factor
A factor to account for additional loading caused by rigging fabrication 
tolerances, fabrication tolerances of the lifted structure and other 
uncertainties with respect to asymmetry and associated force distribution in 
the rigging arrangement. 
Slamming loads 
Transient loads on the structure due to wave impact when lifting through 
the splash zone. 
Sling eye 
A loop at each end of a sling, either formed by a splice or mechanical 
termination 
Splice 
That length of sling where the rope is connected back into itself by tucking 
the tails of the unit ropes back through the main body of the rope, after 
forming the sling eye 
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