For the first time Suva’s Queen’s and Lautoka’s King’s wharves will have their chains, lifting and mooring equipment tested and certified according to international standard.

Fiji Ports Terminal Limited (FPTL) operations manager Nabeel Ali was part of the team that went through the familiarization process at the Suva Port on Monday conducted by New Zealand’s wire rope, lifting, ma­rine, and services company Cookes.

“In the past, chains, lifting and mooring equipment were not physi­cally tested through a test bed and Cookes has included that in this new partnership,” Mr Ali said.

“This is a three year term agree­ment between FPTL and Cookes which they will conduct all the test­ing and inspection services at the ports on an annual basis,” he said.

“Following inspection and tests, they will certify all lifting equipment to international standard as safe for operation.

“Cookes is part of the largest wire rope manufacturing and supply company in the world for lifting and mooring equipment used for vessel and operation activities.

“Fiji does not have a test bed for test gears; through this partnership there will be certification to show that these machines, gears, and equipment have been tested and safe for operation.

Cookes product specialist for lifting equipment, Ganeshwar Naidu (Nash) said they have provided such servic­es for over 100 years in New Zealand and have more than 30 technicians to carry out these tasks.

According to Mr Naidu in main­taining their international stand­ards they have also aligned their ac­tivities to LEEA (Lifting Equipment Engineers Associat ion – UK) and LEENZ (Lifting Equipment Engineers – New Zealand).

UPGRADING OF PORTS

“These lifting gears are not up to the expectation of port users, through this partnership Fiji ports will be up­graded to international standards,” he said.

The international standard ensures safety at all ports when goods are handled whether it is loading onto a vessel or offloading from a vessel.

“Fiji Ports has had the equipment in use for many years and they are un­sure if the equipment are safe to use what Cookes is doing is proof loading the lifting equipment in specialized test bed in the container. Ports equip­ment has work limit of 12 tonnes in a set of lifting equipment,” he said.

“Our machine – test bed, has a ca­pacity of 40 tonnes, we can do a proof test load twice the rated limit.

“Once the lifting equipment has passed the test bed, measurement, and visual inspection, we tag the lift­ing equipment, all the details of the equipment are logged into the cloud-based recording system,

“This is to allow FPTL, its custom­ers or any other authority see that the equipment was tested on the men­tioned date, tonnage recorded, capac­ity measured and certified” he said.

“Fiji Ports is an international entity with their customers working in an international recognised environ­ment, high level of safety for all con­cerned including the public is prior­ity that is why we are ensuring that all lifting and mooring equipment are safe to use.

“Cookes have also just signed a contract with Energy Fiji Limited to supply Height Safety equipment such as harnesses, pole straps, and associ­ated equipment.”

BASIC TRAINING

Mr Naidu and his team will also be conducting basic training on Height Safety equipment for EFL; how to use, fit and look after harnesses.

“Working with height every day is a risk, we are commitment in supply­ing safe equipment working in high risk industries.”

Cookes services assistant manager, Rod McDonald is part of the team overseeing the testing of lifting equip­ment and will also provide training and auditing to ensure that work is in accordance to international and New Zealand regulations.

Senior field services technician, Andy Atkinson is working with Mr McDonald to inspect lifting equip­ment and safety.

“Some of the common defects are worn chains, bent links and difficulty in identifying defective and or unsafe equipment,” Mr McDonald said.