Guidance on Stability of Lifts
The paper fills a significant gap in existing heavy lift guidance by providing methods and data for achieving a ‘stable lift’ – one that remains balanced under predefined disturbing factors.
Managing Director of SAL Engineering
A collaborative approach to heavy lifting safety
The “Guidance on Stability of Lifts” consolidates decades of industry experience from leading heavy lift shipping companies and organizations. This structured framework provides engineers and operators with clear, step-by-step procedures for assessing lifting stability.
The goal: to establish a common understanding across the industry, improving predictability and operational safety in complex heavy lift scenarios.
Key features and benefits
The guideline introduces a systematic, flowchart-based methodology for planning and evaluating rigging stability. Based on real-world workflows used by contributors, it provides detailed methods to:
- Prepare and refine draft rigging plans
- Assess friction-dependent rigging points
- Evaluate the center of gravity (CoG) of lifting setups
- Document and implement operational limits
Finalize a stable rigging plan that meets established safety criteria
“The paper fills a significant gap in existing heavy lift guidance by providing methods and data for achieving a ‘stable lift’ – one that remains balanced under predefined disturbing factors,” said Karsten Behrens, Managing Director of SAL Engineering GmbH. Stability is crucial for reducing risks to life, property, and the environment during hazardous heavy lift operations.
Comprehensive stability assessment methods
To enhance practical use, the guideline compares and applies multiple stability evaluation approaches, including:
- Virtual CoG concept
- Kaps Method – widely recognized in maritime lifting
- Nikitin Method – applicable for two-chain suspensions
Numerical computer simulations – offered in both standard and extended forms
Each method is explained with respect to complexity, accuracy, and applicability, helping users select the most suitable approach for the lift at hand. The document also supplies comprehensive mathematical formulas and guidance on handling dynamic influences such as wind, crane motion, CoG shifts, and rigging length tolerances.
Ensuring safety through collaboration
The guideline reflects the strength of shared industry knowledge. “By working together, we have created a valuable tool that empowers engineers and technical operators to make better-informed decisions – increasing safety and reducing risks during challenging operations,” noted Sebastian Becker, Team Lead CAD Design at SAL Engineering.
Developed by a specialized sub-working group of the DNV Heavy Lift Exchange Forum, the guidance reinforces the forum’s commitment to safer and more efficient heavy lift operations. The full document, “Guidance on Stability of Lifts,” is available for download as a free PDF from DNV’s website.