A heavy spare arrives at the quay, the crane is available, and the receiving team wants it aboard before departure. Yet knowing that the crane can lift the stated weight answers only part of the question. The team must also know where the load will travel, how it will be received, and what will happen if the planned landing position becomes unavailable.

A useful lifting plan follows the load from its starting position to a stable final resting place. This article offers planning questions for vessel teams and shore coordinators. It does not replace the vessel’s approved procedures, equipment instructions or a competent person’s assessment.

Define the load before discussing the crane

“One machinery spare” is an incomplete description. Gather reliable information on the item’s weight, dimensions, centre of gravity and designated lifting points. Include packaging and anything attached to the item. Identify loose components, liquids or other contents that could affect its behaviour during movement. An uncertain weight should be resolved before the operation is authorised.

Ask the competent planner to establish the complete suspended load and suitable lifting arrangement. The crane’s capacity must be appropriate to the actual configuration and operating radius, rather than inferred from a single maximum-capacity marking. The MCA’s MGN 332 Amendment 4 discusses load characteristics, accessories, configuration and vessel stability in its UK regulatory context.

Describe the destination as carefully as the starting point

A landing area needs more definition than “aft deck”. Identify the exact position, available clearance and intended supports. Have the responsible vessel personnel confirm that the location is suitable for the load and that access, escape routes and essential equipment remain usable. Plan how the item will be secured after landing.

Consider a replacement pump arriving in a transport frame. A drawing might show ample deck space, while the actual position contains hoses, temporary stores or an open access hatch. A recent photograph can expose that mismatch during coordination, but the receiving team still needs to confirm conditions on the day. Include a named person responsible for declaring the landing area ready.

Review the whole route and the people around it

The lift’s route may pass near rails, structures, other equipment or work parties. Establish how people will be kept clear of the load and potential trapping areas. Consider what the operator can see, where communication may be obstructed, and whether another operation could enter the lifting area.

The HSE’s planning guidance identifies visibility, securing loads, proximity hazards, environment and equipment integrity among the issues that planning should address. It also makes the planning effort proportionate to the operation’s complexity. A familiar lift still needs its assumptions checked when the location, personnel or conditions change.

Agree responsibilities and stopping conditions

The briefing should leave no uncertainty about who supervises, who operates the appliance, who communicates instructions and who controls access to the area. Establish the agreed communication method and the response to a lost or unclear instruction. Language differences and background noise deserve attention before the load moves.

Record the limits and conditions set by the competent planner, equipment manufacturer and vessel procedures. Changes in vessel movement, weather, visibility or the receiving area may invalidate the plan. The team should understand when to stop and seek reassessment; completing the operation before a sailing deadline is not a reason to improvise around an unresolved concern.

Separate equipment assurance from operational readiness

Inspection records and equipment identification help establish whether the lifting appliance and accessories are suitable for service. They do not, by themselves, confirm that a particular route, load or landing arrangement is safe. Equally, a well-presented lifting plan cannot compensate for unresolved equipment defects.

Check the applicable flag, class and company requirements with the responsible technical team. The IMO confirms that SOLAS regulation II-1/3-13 entered into force on 1 January 2026, addressing onboard lifting appliances and anchor-handling winches, supported by related guidelines. Applicability and implementation must be established for the vessel and equipment concerned. UK MCA and HSE guidance should not be presented as a universal Saudi or Gulf legal requirement.

Make the handover information usable

For a port-call job, bring the key information together in one controlled package: vessel and berth details, the load description, equipment identification, proposed route, receiving position, responsible contacts and outstanding questions. Mark unresolved information clearly instead of allowing an estimate to look like a verified fact.

A practical final coordination question is: “If the receiving position is unavailable, who decides what happens next?” Agreeing that answer prevents a small obstruction from becoming an improvised change while equipment and personnel are already committed. After completion, record useful observations so the next plan reflects actual conditions.

If inspection or technical attendance is required, send Offshore Marine Solutions the appliance details, relevant records, port and attendance window through our lifting gear and crane inspection service. Clear information supports preparation; the vessel’s responsible personnel retain control of the operation and its authorisation.