RightShip, a leading global Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) focused digital maritime platform, welcomes Wilhelmsen Ships Service (Wilhelmsen), a leader in maritime solutions, to its Zero Harm Innovation Partners Program (ZHIP). As part of this collaboration, Wilhelmsen will highlight its cutting-edge products, the Timm Snap Back Arrestor (SBA™) rope and the Line Management Plan (LMP™), both of which exemplify its commitment to safer mooring practice.

The ZHIP, launched in March 2024, aims to encourage the development of new technologies and solutions for a zero-harm maritime industry. By connecting product creators with shipowners and charterers, the program facilitates the testing of innovative technologies in real-world environments, enhancing safety and sustainability in the maritime sector. Currently, the program includes six Partners.

“We are delighted to welcome Wilhelmsen to the ZHIP and look forward to the positive impact its innovative solutions will have on advancing a safer and more sustainable maritime industry.” said Ajinkya Kadam, Head of Partnerships at RightShip. He added, “The interest the ZHIP has garnered over the past few months is a testament to the collective ambition of the ecosystem to develop a safer maritime sector for all.”

Working Towards Safer Mooring 

Mooring operations present significant safety challenges. The number of mooring-related incidents has risen in ports like Rotterdam, where reported accidents increased from 122 in 2020 to 159 in 2023. These incidents often result in injuries and highlight the need for improved safety measures.

“Being a part of RightShip’s ZHIP is a testament to Wilhelmsen’s dedication to enhancing mooring safety standards in the maritime industry. Our aim is to drive a positive change in the maritime industry and collaborate with other partners in the program to find ways to improve safety at sea”, said Thomas Caradec, Product Management and Planning Director, Mooring Solutions at Wilhelmsen.

Wilhelmsen is committed to mitigating mooring related risks by offering a set of active and passive safety measures. With active measures, such as the LMP™, it aims to reduce the probability of accidents, while passive measures like the SBA™ can minimize the severity of risks in case of accidents.

The world’s first and only snap-back rope  

The SBA™ rope is the world’s first and only anti snap-back rope qualified by DNV. It is renowned as the safest mooring rope on the market, significantly reducing dangerous snap back and providing the safest possible working conditions for crew members. The innovative design of the SBA™ centers around its energy absorption capabilities, where its core functions as a non-load-bearing component during normal rope operation. In the event of a load-bearing construction break the SBA™ core partially absorbs the snap back energy resulting in a substantial reduction of snap back forces.

Insights into rope usage and maintenance

The LMP™ simplifies rope management by documenting evaluation methods and requirements for determining line retirement criteria. The cloud-based platform provides real-time insights into rope usage and maintenance, acting as a digital logbook for storing rope certificates, managing inventory, and accessing inspection history. The LMP™ enhances safety and optimizes crew efficiency by offering a holistic overview of all ropes onboard and a history of their usage and inspections, ensuring compliance with safety regulations.

The application was developed following the introduction of updated Mooring Equipment Guidelines (MEG4) by the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF) to provide ship operators with a comprehensive tool to manage their mooring lines inventory.