Certificate MEDD000008S

Common issues

• NOTE ON CATEGORY: this record is catalogued as a 'Windlass', but the manufacturer name (a rope-making company) and the nature of a DNV MED certificate strongly indicate the actual approved product is a synthetic mooring/fibre rope, not a windlass machine. The content below is written for mooring rope.
• Abrasion/chafe damage from fairleads, bitts or improper leading of the rope
• UV degradation of the synthetic fibre reducing strength over time
• Internal fibre fusion/glazing from friction heat during snubbing or under sustained load
• Uneven load distribution or kinking from incorrect coiling or storage
• Reduced residual breaking strength from repeated snap loading during mooring operations
• Contamination by oil, chemicals or marine growth degrading fibre condition

Inspection checklist

• Visual inspection for cuts, abrasion, discoloration and localized fibre fusion (melting/glazing)
• Check for uneven diameter, flat spots or excessive elongation compared to a new/reference length
• Inspect splices and eyes for slippage or damage
• Confirm the rope's MED/type-approval certificate and manufacture date against the manufacturer's stated retirement criteria
• Check for consistent lay/construction along the full length, with no core exposure in braided ropes
• Review the mooring log for snap-back or overload events on this line

Service intervals

Typical wear limits

Ranges are typical for this design class. Always confirm against the manufacturer documentation for your serial number.

Critical spares

• Replacement mooring rope of the correct type, diameter and MED-certified breaking strength for the vessel's mooring arrangement
• Splicing materials/whipping twine for eye and end repairs, by competent personnel only
• Chafe guards/protective sleeving for fairlead and chock contact points
• Synthetic tail ropes, where fitted as a tail on wire mooring lines
• Soft eyes/thimbles for bollard and bitts connections

Safety

• Snap-back zones during mooring are a major cause of serious injury and fatality - a synthetic rope under load stores significant energy and can whip back violently on failure
• Never stand in the bight or snap-back zone of a rope under tension
• Damaged or aged rope should be withdrawn from mooring duty immediately, not relegated to a 'less critical' line

Class survey

Mooring ropes are checked against the vessel's mooring line management plan rather than a fixed class survey item; class/flag reviews the type-approval (MED) certificate and, for tankers, OCIMF-aligned mooring equipment guidelines during ship inspections.