Section 4 Lifting appliances and associated support arrangements

4.1.1 It is the responsibility of the designer to ensure that the ship is suitable for the intended lifting appliance operations. Particular attention is drawn to ships or units which have heavy lift cranes (or lifting appliances) installed (see Ch 4, 1.2 Lifting appliances and crane types 1.2.1.(k) of the Code for Lifting Appliances in a Marine Environment, July 2022).

4.1.2 Lifting appliance pedestals and foundations that are welded to the supporting hull structures are classification items.

4.1.3 Lifting appliance pedestals or foundations are to be designed with respect to the worst possible combinations of loads resulting from the crane self-weight, live load, wind and crane accelerations together with those resulting from the vessel’s heel and trim.

4.1.4 Stowage arrangements are to be taken into account when calculating the loads to be applied to the pedestal.

4.1.8 When submitting plans for the proposed pedestal or foundation, the designer is to include design calculations covering the parameters indicated in Pt 3, Ch 9, 4.1 Lifting appliances and associated pedestals and foundations 4.1.4 to Pt 3, Ch 9, 4.1 Lifting appliances and associated pedestals and foundations 4.1.7.

4.2.1  Lifting appliance pedestals and foundations are to be efficiently supported and, in general, are to be carried through the deck and satisfactorily integrated into the surrounding structure. Alternatively, lifting appliance pedestals and foundations may be carried into a supporting structure of adequate strength, see Pt 3, Ch 9, 4.2 Supporting hull structures for lifting appliance pedestals and foundations 4.2.2. Proposals for other support arrangements will be specially considered.

4.2.2 The forces and moments resulting from an installed lifting appliance are to be taken into consideration on the basis of Pt 3, Ch 9, 4.1 Lifting appliances and associated pedestals and foundations when assessing the support arrangements, including thedeck plating and underdeck stiffening in way of the lifting appliance pedestal and foundation. The global hull girder stresses are to be taken into account where applicable, with due consideration given to the material grade, see also Pt 3, Ch 4 Longitudinal Strength.

4.2.3 Insert plates are to be incorporated in the deck plating in way of lifting appliance foundations. The thickness of the insert plates is to be as required by the designer’s calculations but in no case is to be taken as less than 1,5 times the thickness of the adjacent attached plating.

4.2.4 Where fitted, all inserts are to have well radiused corners and be suitably edge prepared prior to welding. The connection between the insert plate and the adjacent deck plating is to be full penetration. All other welding in way of the insert plate is generally to be double continuous and full penetration in way of critical locations. Tapers are to be not less than three to one.

4.3.1 The support structure (including hinges) in way of the interface between a ramp and the ship is to be assessed in accordance with the appropriate criteria given in Ch 6, 2 Loading and design criteria of the Code for Lifting Appliances in a Marine Environment, July 2022.

4.3.2 The loads that the ramp supporting structure will be subjected to are to be submitted by the designer or Shipbuilder. These loads are to be calculated in accordance with Ch 6, 2 Loading and design criteria of the Code for Lifting Appliances in a Marine Environment, July 2022. Load cases calculated in accordance with alternative standards can be accepted subject to agreement with Lloyd’s Register.

4.3.3 Loads already existing in the supporting structure (other than those from the ramp) are to be superimposed if applicable.

4.3.4 Ramps forming part of the watertight integrity of the hull are also to be assessed in accordance with the applicable scantling requirements.