Regulatory authorities, industry representatives and experts from 15 countries across four continents met in Amsterdam last week for the 29th International Offshore Crane and Lifting Conference. For many years, the Norwegian Ocean Industry Authority (Havtil) has played a key role in organising the conference.
Crane and lifting operations are a priority topic for Havtil. Historically, serious incidents involving lifting operations have resulted in loss of life and material damage, both on the Norwegian Continental Shelf and internationally.
“The issues related to cranes and lifting operations are largely the same across national borders, whether they concern regulations, technical integrity or human and organisational factors,” says Jan Ketil Moberg, head of Havtil’s logistics and emergency preparedness section.
Regardless of national regulations, many of the risk factors associated with planning, execution and coordination in lifting operations are the same. The conference places particular emphasis on sharing concrete experiences from incidents and near-misses in operations.
“Accidents and incidents don’t stop at national borders. Learning from other countries’ experiences is absolutely essential for preventing new incidents," says Moberg, who chairs the conference committee.
Technological progress imposes new demands
The conference programme reflected the breadth of current challenges in offshore crane and lifting operations. The topics ranged from human factors, competence and training to new technology, the use and development of standards, inspections and digitalisation.
Several presentations focused on complex lifting operations, where the interplay between technology, human actions and organisational structure is crucial for safe execution.
There were presentations and discussions on the development of all-electric offshore cranes, the use of sensor technology, digital monitoring and cybersecurity, in addition to lifting challenges related to offshore wind, heavy-lift operations and subsea operations, and more.
“Advances in automation and remote control offer new opportunities, but also new risks. For Havtil, in lifting operations, it is the whole picture that is particularly important – the interaction between humans, technology and organisation,” says Moberg.
This requires systematic risk assessment and a clear understanding of roles and responsibilities throughout the entire operation.
Broad international participation from government agencies and industry
The conference brought together representatives from a number of national regulatory authorities and professional organisations. This participation promotes a shared understanding of the challenges and strengthens the foundation for the exchange of experiences between government agencies and industry.
Among the participants were regulatory authorities for HSE from the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, as well as representatives from industry and classification societies from several countries. This year, representatives from the Australian National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) also took the podium.
The conference is organised by the professional networks KTF (formerly the Norwegian Society of Lifting Technology) and OMHEC (Offshore Mechanical Handling Equipment Committee), in collaboration with international sectoral organisations for drilling and maritime contractors, such as IADC (International Association of Drilling Contractors) and IMCA (International Marine Contractors Association).
The conference is also supported by relevant regulatory authorities participating in the North Sea Offshore Authorities Forum (NSOAF) – a collaboration among authorities responsible for safety in and around the North Sea.