IN THE DOCK
LIFTING RENEWAL
Andy Charlesworth from pewag group shares his insights from a 35-year career in the lifting industry – and explains why ports need to look at replacing ageing equipment below the hook.
W
hile ports tend to set high safety standards, one challenge often goes overlooked. The age of
the lifting equipment below the hook can impact productivity – and too often, an existing piece of kit is repurposed for a job it was not designed to do. This is a recurring issue seen by Andy Charlesworth, sales director for pewag group, which owns and operates brands including pewag, maker of chains and shackles; spreader beam specialist Modulift; and load monitoring experts LMS. “I have recently been talking to a couple of ports where the equipment was quite old,” says Charlesworth. “Let’s just say, it had definitely delivered a return on investment but was ready for replacement. Ports are exceptionally good at inspection and maintenance of equipment, and bringing in companies to carry out regular thorough examinations. But it is important to look at the age of the equipment, too.” A recurring issue with beams and chains is that older versions are often very heavy compared to current technology. That means there is a big opportunity to make significant gains by upgrading that equipment. However, he cautions against change for change’s sake. “It still has to be the right solution,” he adds. When new cargo arrives, the temptation
remains to repurpose an existing piece of equipment to lift it. However, this can lead to disaster. “The nature of lifting in ports is changing all the time,” he says. “The cargo and the lifting operations can be much more complex. Simply having a piece of equipment doesn’t mean it is the right equipment for a new lifting operation.” The best way to avoid these issues? Talk
to the experts. “This is why it is so important that we maintain dialogue with ports, so we are there to help them solve these new lifting challenges, rather than risk an incident by using equipment that is not right for the job,” he adds. “We view it as essential that we get
in there, give them proper training and regular toolbox talks, so it is important that the ports remain open to this.”
Smarter products One area where products have significantly changed in recent years is that they are becoming smarter. “There are good and bad points about the internet, but a big positive is, it is now much easier access to technical product information than ever before,” says Charlesworth. “I spent a lot of my career in training, which is a vital element, but digital access to the product information is a huge step forward. The introduction of legal obligations on manufacturers to supply that information has played a big part in raising awareness and improving good safety practices.” However, online information is not always accurate, and he cautions against using
third-party sources. “AI is only as good as the information that it is sourcing,” he says. “You have to make sure that the information that people are accessing online is accurate. It is extremely important that people go to the manufacturers for the correct information on safety checks and lifting information.” In a similar vein, it is important to regularly
reassess lifting practices. “A big trait I still see today is that people follow people,” he says. “Newer workers naturally learn from more experienced colleagues, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they are learning good practice.”
pewag offers some products with RFID tags or QR codes for quick access to technical data and specifications. However, market acceptance remains limited. “It is still early days,” says Charlesworth. He cites the additional cost as a factor in buying decisions. Even so, he notes that most ports and
terminals are moving to digital platforms. “This will help keep on top of their lifting equipment from an inspections point of view and ensure it is fit for purpose,” he adds. “That is a fundamental part of modern equipment ownership.” Other areas of innovation include the pewag Levo load balancer and compensator. Powered by hydraulics and with remote operation from up to 100m away, it enables multi-directional movement. “What was traditionally a forging company is now innovating, incorporating technology that is moving the market forward,” Charlesworth says.
Andy Charlesworth, sales director, pewag group.
vi | November/December 2026 |
www.hoistmagazine.com
Customisation Another trend is customisation – as project cargo changes, ports need new solutions to specific lifting challenges. “We are the manufacturer, so we have full engineering support across all of our operations, whether that is Modulift, LMS,
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