Cargo cranes of ships calling at the US port of Longview are coming under increased scrutiny, the North of England P&I Club has warned.
It says there has been a spate of incidents in which vessels have failed strict inspections by International Longshore and Warehouse Union (ILWU) inspectors.
“A common finding is grooving of crane sheaves which are deemed by ILWU inspectors to be excessive and in contravention of Rule 266 of the ILWU Code,” said North.
“It would appear that Rule 266 is broad in scope so as a consequence any noticeable grooving, no matter how minor, is grounds for failing the inspection.”
Even if grooving is within the limits set by the crane manufacturer, North claims it will be “disregarded by the ILWU” and that they must be repaired before stevedores will start work.
In a note to members the club said the scope for negotiation is “reported to be limited”.
North says that in most cases these problems have been resolved by appointing local workshops to carry out repairs to the sheaves, but at significant cost.
“Berth/terminal fees are very high at Longview and can quickly accumulate if the vessel is sat waiting for repairs the while the various parties agree who is responsible for paying for repairs,” it said.
It warns that if a vessel misses a slot whilst repair works are negotiated or carried out, the vessel falls to the “bottom of the queue” and may have to wait several days before stevedores are allocated again.
