Delaying operational maintenance a risky strategy

The mooring solutions specialist claims that many ports need to schedule more regular maintenance checks on port equipment, particularly fenders, irrespective of warranty periods.

“The monetary impact of dealing with a port-side failure is one thing, but the process of investigating, prosecuting and resolving what went wrong can be enormously time-sapping,” said Richard Hepworth, managing director, Trelleborg Marine Systems. “More operators would be better placed pouring their investment and resource into tackling preventative maintenance rather than pursuing disputes through the courts.”

A poll by Trelleborg found that a third of port operators, contractors and consultants are spending more, or even the majority, of their time managing operational risk.

“Many of the fenders we replace or perform maintenance on are under-engineered or operate in conditions they were never designed for,” said Mr Hepworth. “The common cause of failure is the specification process, but also the lack of quality used in the materials, poor installation or maintenance. In the worst case scenarios, it’s a combination of these critical factors.”

To download a free copy of Trelleborg’s port industry survey findings, visit: www.takesthepressureoff.com.