RISK WATCH | SECURITY | 98 | RISK WATCH | SECURITY INSTALLATION AND TESTING A lifting appliance installed on or after 1 January 2026 shall be designed, constructed and installed to the satisfaction of the ship’s flag state. Most commonly, this will be to the standards of an acceptable classification society. The lifting appliance must be load tested and thoroughly examined before being used for the first time. The SWL must also be permanently marked, matching the proven and documented load limits. A lifting appliance installed before 1 January 2026 shall be load tested and thoroughly examined no later than the date of the first renewal survey on/after the 1 January 2026. It must also meet the requirement for permanent SWL marking by this date. All loose gear in use with lifting appliances shall be designed and constructed to the satisfaction of the ships flag state, with certification supplied to show adequate proof testing. The loose gear should be marked with a unique identifier, the SWL, and any other markings required for safe use. ONGOING COMPLIANCE All lifting appliances, regardless of date of installation, must have a load test after repairs, modifications, or alterations of a major character, and at least once every five years. In addition to load testing, each lifting appliance must have a thorough examination after each load test, and annually. Loose gear should be subject to a proof test after repairs, modifications, or alterations of a major character. The gear should also have a thorough examination after each proof test, and annually. All load testing and thorough examinations are to be conducted under the supervision of a ‘Competent Person’. As defined in the guidelines, this individual is required to possess sufficient knowledge and experience to achieve approval by the ship’s flag state. In practical terms this will generally be a classification society or vendor approved by the ship’s flag state. All lifting appliances that are compliant with the guidelines are to be recorded in the ship specific “Register of Ship’s Lifting Appliances and Cargo Handling Gear”. Certificates of test and thorough examination for lifting appliances and loose gear should also be attached to this register. INOPERATIVE LIFTING APPLIANCES AND GEAR When a lifting appliance or loose gear is found to be noncompliant, then it must not be used until the deficiency is rectified to the satisfaction of a competent person. For lifting appliances, they should be clearly labelled showing their inoperative status and locked in place, or isolated from their source of power as appropriate. Loose gear should be clearly marked as inoperative and placed in a designated quarantine area. The details of any inoperative equipment should be recorded in the register of lifting appliances until rectified or disposed of as appropriate. MSC.1/Circ.1663 “Guidelines for lifting appliances”, clarifies the interpretation and application of the new regulation for lifting appliances. The regulation applies to all lifting appliances and any loose gear utilised with the lifting appliances. There are some notable occasions where the regulation does not apply, generally where other regulations or standards take primacy, such as lifesaving appliances complying with the Life-Saving Appliance (LSA) code. Where lifting appliances have a safe working load (SWL) less than 1,000kg, the extent of compliance with the guidelines will be at the discretion of a ship’s flag state. The new re