What to check on a Personnel Transfer Basket.
Gangways and accommodation ladders assume two structures are close enough, and stable enough relative to each other, to bridge with a fixed or semi-fixed structure. Offshore transfer between a supply vessel and a platform, or between two vessels at sea, usually cannot meet that condition - there is relative motion, no deck-to-deck proximity, and often a significant freeboard difference. A personnel transfer basket solves this by lifting people bodily with a crane instead of walking them across, which shifts the safety-critical equipment from the ladder itself to the crane, the…
What sets this type apart
Gangways and accommodation ladders assume two structures are close enough, and stable enough relative to each other, to bridge with a fixed or semi-fixed structure. Offshore transfer between a supply vessel and a platform, or between two vessels at sea, usually cannot meet that condition - there is relative motion, no deck-to-deck proximity, and often a significant freeboard difference. A personnel transfer basket solves this by lifting people bodily with a crane instead of walking them across, which shifts the safety-critical equipment from the ladder itself to the crane, the rigging, and the operator's judgement of sea state.
Main components
Basket or net structure
A rigid frame, commonly with a rope or webbing net enclosure and a solid base, sized for a stated maximum number of persons plus their personal gear, with handholds distributed around the perimeter.
Lifting bridle and swivel
Multiple sling legs connect the basket to a swivel above it, which prevents the load from spinning under crane hook rotation during the lift.
Crane and rigging interface
The basket is only as safe as the crane lifting it - its rated capacity, the crane's safe working load, and the hook and shackle rating all have to be matched, not just the basket certified in isolation.
Personal equipment
Personnel being transferred wear an approved personal flotation device suited to cold water immersion where relevant, and the basket operator maintains a clear signal system with the crane driver throughout the lift.
Selection and sizing
Rated capacity is set by the number of persons the basket is designed for, each allowed a standard mass allowance that includes clothing and personal gear, and this figure - not the basket's structural breaking load alone - is what governs safe use. The basket must be matched to the crane's safe working load with margin, and to the vessel's or platform's actual transfer height and typical sea state, since a basket rated for calm-water use is not automatically suitable for the swell conditions the vessel actually operates in.
Regulations and class
Personnel transfer by crane is governed primarily by industry guidance from bodies such as the Global Wind Organisation or oil and gas industry associations depending on trade, rather than a single SOLAS provision, though the lifting appliance itself falls under the ship's cargo gear certification and periodic testing regime. Class societies and flag states require the crane used for personnel transfer to hold a valid load test certificate, and many operators additionally require the basket itself to carry a manufacturer's design certificate stating rated capacity and inspection interval. Company and charterer procedures commonly restrict personnel transfer to defined sea state and wind limits that go beyond what the equipment certificate alone would allow.
Typical faults
- Frayed lifting sling or net - caused by UV exposure, chafe or overload; leads to a structural failure risk during a lift with people on board.
- Missing or incorrect swivel - caused by using mismatched rigging not supplied as a certified set; leads to load spin and snagging during transfer.
- Overloading beyond rated headcount - caused by pressure to move a work party in one lift; leads to exceeding the certified safe working load.
- Lift attempted outside sea state limits - caused by schedule pressure; leads to excessive basket swing and a higher risk of impact against structure.
What to look for in a supplier
- A manufacturer's design certificate stating rated capacity, mass allowance per person, and the applicable design standard.
- A complete rigging set - bridle, swivel and shackles - supplied and certified together rather than assembled from mismatched parts.
- A clear periodic inspection and load test schedule with a service history that can be produced at survey.
- Documented compatibility with the vessel's or platform's actual crane capacity and reach.
The basket's certificate is only half the story - a properly rated basket lifted by a crane operator working past the vessel's motion limits is still an uncontrolled lift, and the transfer should be called off on sea state, not on equipment condition alone.