Wire Rope & Rigging Services in Belgium.

Marine wire rope and rigging services

Marine wire rope and rigging services cover the inspection, supply, termination, installation and certification of steel wire ropes and rigging used on ships. Wire ropes carry critical loads in lifeboat and rescue boat falls, cranes and derricks, accommodation ladders, mooring and towing systems, hatch cover and ramp systems, and lifts. Rope selection and installation must match the appliance design, load, drum and sheave geometry, environment and approval. A deteriorated or wrongly specified rope can lead to a dropped load, a lost lifeboat or a snap-back injury.

vslSafety arranges riggers and rope specialists to inspect, measure, supply and install certified wire ropes at the vessel’s port, and to coordinate follow-up load testing where required.

Regulatory requirements and standards

• SOLAS III/20.4 requires falls used in launching to be inspected periodically, with special regard for areas passing through sheaves, and renewed when necessary due to deterioration or at intervals of not more than five years, whichever is earlier. The former requirement to turn falls end for end at 30 months no longer applies, though turning is not prohibited.
• LSA Code 6.1.2.3 requires falls to be rotation-resistant and corrosion-resistant steel wire rope, and LSA Code 6.1.1.6 applies a minimum factor of safety of 6 to falls, suspension chains, links and blocks.
• SOLAS II-1/3-9 and MSC.1/Circ.1331 require the wires supporting accommodation ladders and gangways to be maintained and renewed when necessary, with renewal at intervals not exceeding five years commonly applied as for launching falls.
• SOLAS II-1/3-13, in force since 1 January 2026, and its guidelines in MSC.1/Circ.1663 cover lifting appliances and loose gear. The guidelines state that damaged, broken, worn or corroded ropes and terminations should be discarded according to maker recommendations, standards such as ISO 4309:2017, or class requirements acceptable to the Administration.
• ISO 4309:2017 (Cranes – Wire ropes – Care and maintenance, inspection and discard) sets discard criteria for broken wires, diameter reduction, corrosion and deformation, with limits that depend on rope construction and rope category.
• SOLAS II-1/3-8, amended from 1 January 2024, requires mooring equipment including lines to be inspected and maintained taking into account MSC.1/Circ.1620, with periodic line inspection in the maintenance plan. OCIMF MEG4 recommends a Line Management Plan with retirement criteria.
• ILO Convention No. 152 model Form 4 is widely used as the certificate of test and thorough examination of wire rope.

Inspection and renewal intervals

What the service includes

• Identification of rope construction, diameter, lay, grade, core, finish, minimum breaking force and length
• Visual and dimensional inspection against discard criteria, including broken wires, diameter reduction, corrosion, kinks, birdcaging and core damage
• Inspection of drums, sheaves, groove wear, fleet angles, guides and terminations
• Supply of certified wire rope matched to the appliance specification
• Socketing with resin or white metal, ferrule-secured eyes, splicing and swaged terminations under an approved process
• Removal and reeving with correct tension, spooling and anti-rotation precautions
• Lubrication with a compatible dressing, and function test of the appliance
• Coordination of proof load testing after renewal where required

Rope and rigging types covered

Riggers commonly handle rotation-resistant stainless or galvanised falls for lifeboats and rescue boats, multi-strand crane hoist and luffing ropes, accommodation ladder hoisting wires, steel mooring wires with synthetic tails, towing wires, hatch cover and ramp wires, lift hoisting ropes, and loose gear such as slings, shackles, blocks and hooks. Rope makers commonly encountered include Bridon-Bekaert, Casar, Teufelberger and Usha Martin. Synthetic mooring ropes are managed under the same Line Management Plan principles.

Common defects and PSC deficiencies

• Lifeboat falls without renewal records or beyond the five-year limit
• Corrosion and broken wires at sheaves, drum crossover points and terminations
• Dry ropes with no evidence of lubrication
• Rope specification not matching the maker’s drawing or certificate
• Damaged ferrules, sockets or eyes and missing rope certificates
• Accommodation ladder wires worn or incorrectly reeved

Certificates and documents you receive

• Rope maker’s certificate with breaking force and traceability
• Certificate of test and thorough examination of wire rope (ILO Form 4 or equivalent)
• Termination or socketing certificate
• Inspection report with measurements and discard assessment
• Load test certificate where a test is carried out

How to prepare the vessel

Confirm the appliance is available and can be operated during the attendance. Clear deck space for new reels and old rope, and arrange disposal. Provide the maker’s rope specification and drawings. For lifeboat falls, secure the boat with maintenance pendants and follow the maker’s procedure; combine the work with davit and launching appliance servicing. After crane rope renewal, check whether a test is required and book load testing and proof load or lifting appliance certification in the same call.

Information needed for a quotation

• Vessel name, IMO number, flag and class
• Port and ETA/ETD
• Appliance, maker and model, and the rope specification or drawing
• Diameter, construction, length, grade and termination type
• Quantity of ropes and date of last renewal
• Reason for renewal and photographs of the current rope
• Whether load testing or class attendance is needed

vslSafety coordinates a suitable rigging provider at the vessel’s port and confirms rope availability, lead times and certificates before attendance.

Frequently asked questions

How often must lifeboat falls be renewed?

SOLAS III/20.4 requires falls used in launching to be renewed when necessary due to deterioration, or at intervals of not more than five years, whichever is earlier. They must also be inspected periodically, with special attention to sections passing through sheaves. Turning falls end for end is no longer mandatory but remains permitted.

What are the discard criteria for crane wire ropes?

ISO 4309:2017 sets criteria for broken wires, diameter reduction, corrosion, deformation and heat damage. Limits depend on rope construction and category, so there is no single number. MSC.1/Circ.1663 refers to ISO 4309:2017 alongside maker recommendations and class requirements for ropes on lifting appliances.

Can I use a different rope construction as a replacement?

Only with maker and class agreement. Changing construction, lay or core can alter rotation behaviour, spooling, breaking force and sheave compatibility. Lifeboat falls must be rotation-resistant and corrosion-resistant under the LSA Code. Always replace like-for-like to the specification unless an approved alternative is documented.

Does a crane need a load test after rope renewal?

Renewing a rope with an identical specification rope is normally followed by a function test and examination, but requirements vary with flag, class and the appliance regime. Repairs or alterations of a major character trigger a load test under MSC.1/Circ.1663. Confirm with class before the attendance.

What certificate should come with a new wire rope?

The rope maker’s certificate showing construction, diameter, grade and breaking force, and a certificate of test and thorough examination such as ILO Form 4, should be supplied and filed with the register of lifting appliances or LSA records.