Towage & Sureline
Vessel Towage
During vessel towage, there are many factors to consider, and these can be found and detailed within OCIMF documents and other tug operator support documents.
With respect to towing ropes, factors such as internal and external friction and the build-up of heat are key considerations. Shock loading is also a factor where a sudden high load is transferred from a low or static situation, leading to a sudden peak load, often higher than recommended rope load limits. Rope failure can be the end result impacting the towing operation, the crew and the vessels involved.
Towing assembly management plans should be in place and supported by the rope manufacturer. For the first time, towing operations can be further supported by the use of sureline and sureline data systems, helping to de-risk towage operations.
How Sureline Can Help?
Sureline can be used as a single-point rope sensor or deployed with multiple sensors in different ropes to offer real-time information during towing operations. This gives vital information to the tug master, helping avoid over-tensioning of the tow line during vessel towage.
Sureline takes seconds to install into a towing rope and can monitor and report up to 10 data points per second, and when calibrated, the sensor is accurate to +/- 5%. Data is shown in real time to a dashboard on a tablet or mobile phone and can show real-time rope tension, rope angle, slew angle, peak loads, etc., with the operator setting warning thresholds.
With MEG4 and new SOLAS marine rope regulations now active, sureline provides new insights on towing rope dynamics, offering enhanced and safer towage operations.
Click to access/download the towage datasheet via email request:
