Lankhorst Ropes announces Lankhorst Academy

Dedicated rope training resource for the maritime and offshore industry

Lankhorst Ropes has opened Lankhorst Academy, providing practical and theoretical courses in maritime and heavy lift rope handling and splicing at its refurbished Dordrecht facility in The Netherlands. The Academy offers industry and application-specific courses for Lankhorst customers designed to increase crew knowledge of rope behaviour, handling and inspection. The overall aims of the one-day courses are to ensure crews are well placed to properly and safely use their ropes and, as a result, help them optimise rope service life aboard their vessel.

Developments such as the OCIMF’s Mooring Equipment Guidelines, MEG4 and the recent introduction by the IMO of ‘Guidelines for Inspection and Maintenance of Mooring Equipment including Lines’ has placed maritime ropes and their handling centre stage in the drive to increase safety offshore. 

Lankhorst Academy builds on the company’s many years’ experience in crew training for both maritime and offshore energy industries. All courses cover fibre rope construction, rope inspection and rope maintenance, and typically last one day. Industry specific courses are available for Inland Shipping, Mooring (practical and theoretical), Tug and Towage, Offshore Installation and Heavy Lifting. Practical courses include rope splicing and a full rope break test on the facility’s rope test machine.

“Lankhorst Ropes has provided training to customers’ crews for many years during which time we’ve refined the presentation and content allowing us to deliver courses geared to the specific needs of crews in many different industry sectors,” says Rui Faria, managing director, Lankhorst Ropes. “As well as the safety benefits, all the courses include a section on rope handling designed to ensure that customers get the optimum service life from their investment in Lankhorst ropes.”

Dordrecht Facility Refurbishment - New Training Area

Lankhorst Academy courses are held in a dedicated training area within the newly refurbished Dordrecht rope stockpoint and testing facility. In addition to AV presentation equipment and screens, the training area includes customer-designed splicing tables allowing course delegates to practice their rope splicing skills in preparation for the rope break test. 

Over the past few months, the refurbishment of the Dordrecht stockpoint and offices has included new roofing and external building cladding along with new signage. The offices have been completely refitted, windows replaced, and new air conditioning and energy-saving heating systems installed.

Rui Faria again. “The refurbishment of Lankhorst’s Dordrecht stockpoint is in two parts. We’ve greatly improved the building itself and introduced Lankhorst Academy. Over the next few months, we’ll be reviewing the external parking area layout with the intention of streamlining logistics operations. In the meantime, we look forward to the first delegates attending Lankhorst Academy - a game changer in our commitment to crew safety in the maritime and offshore industries."

For more information on Lankhorst Academy, visit www.lankhorst-academy.com. And follow us on LinkedIn: Lankhorst Ropes and Lankhorst Academy.