This is a subject I have been involved in quite a lot as Warranty Surveyor:
Will elaborate later.
It is was never envisaged that bollards installed a century ago would be subject the almost vertical forces imposed by a highsided vessel like a car carrier. There was one instance where the bollard was plucked out and catapulted over the ship and an adjacent empty pier landing in the harbour, miraculously without causing other damage or injury.
I carried out a survey on a new Italian built vessel about 20 years ago where the tug had ripped out the stern centreline bollard. It should not have been possible given the bollard pull of the tug. On removal of the spar ceiling in the compartment below, the steelwork in place was not as per the drawings . The carling beams were missing and the bollard had been basically welded to the deck.
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Yes It contribute how the sizes of ships are getting bigger now but the quality of bollards thats been used before are very impressing how they able to stand in centuries
I notice on abs vessel after a certain date all the bollards must have a rated load on them.
I keep asking what the crew will do with this info and …anyone?
Pilots started asking a few years ago. The captains operating the tugs wanted to know.
As ships have gotten bigger and tugs more powerful it has become an issue.
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i’m coming from the AHTS world…
Many years ago I was contracting in the offices of a rig owner and was given the task of making arrangments for a semi-submersible to dock at Ferrol in Northern Spain. The owners of the dock suggested that they should dig holes in the hinterland beyond the quayside, deep enough for the rig’s shoreside anchors, so that it could be securely held alongside. The cost would be $30,000. With a view to saving this money the company Engineering Manager sent a surveyor out to have a look at the bollards, and he returned saying that they would be fine. The rig was towed in and tied up in fine weather, but when a strong wind blew up it pulled all the boaards into the sea and drifted away. Fortunately its AHTS saw what was going on, upanchored and rescued it, but not before the OIM had had to put on his brown trousers.
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