Various Moorings

VARIOUS MOORINGS Open moor Vessel anchored with both anchors leading ahead. Both the anchors remain 1point on the bow.

Procedures Approach the anchorage with wind or current on one bow. Weather anchor or upstream anchor is let go on the run (1). The headway continued and cable is laid up 1/3 rd of the final length of the cable. The second anchor is let go (2). First anchor snubbed at the gypsy. The vessel brings-to on her weather cable. It gradually grows taut to windward. Bow develops a rapid swing into the stream or wind. Both the anchors are veered. Finally the anchors are one point at each bow.

Standing moor, ordinary moor, dropping moor, straight moor Vessel required to moor with bridge along the dotted line. Stream ahead. Port anchor-5 shackles, stbd anchor-4 shackles.

Procedure: Head to stream or wind. When both are present, head to one has stronger effect. With sufficient headway, take vessel to position 1. Position-1 is roughly 5 shackles minus half ship's length beyond line AB. Let go port anchor. The vessel drifts downstream, render port cable to nine shackles, the sum of two lengths. She is brought up on her cable. Then the starboard anchor is let go at position-2. Vessel then moves to the position by rendering or veering the starboard cable and heaving in four shackles on the riding cable. Engines may be used to reduce stress on the windlass.

Running moor, flying moor Vessel required to moor with bridge along the dotted line. Stream ahead. Port anchor-5 shackles, starboard anchor-4 shackles.

Procedure: Head to stream or wind. When both are present, head to one has stronger effect. Let go starboard anchor on run, when vessel is 4 shackles and half of ship's length (1). The cable is rendered as the vessel moves upstream. The cable is not allowed to be tighten, as bow will cant to starboard. The cable is rendered or veered 9 shackles and vessel moves to position-2. In position-2, port anchor is let go. The vessel moves stern. Five shackles weighed on lee (starboard) cable and five shackles veered on riding cable. The vessel is then brought up on her riding cable at position-3.

Advantages of mooring Vessel occupies little swinging room. Vessel turns almost to her length about stem. Scopes can be pre-adjusted for the prevailing strength of wind or stream. Scope of each cable is estimated in the same way as single anchor.

Disadvantages Lee anchor has no value to ship if headwind increases or vessel drags. Risk of getting a foul hawse.

Special precautions Maintain a constant watch to prevent foul hawse. Determine foul arc and clear arc. Vessel should always swing to clear arc on each tidal change. Use engine to give vessel correct sheer. Keep eye on the weather. Know the times of tide change.

Preference: I will prefer standing moor. Because: Safer More control on the ship. The anchor is let go after vessel stopped. There is no possibility of damage due to anchoring at headway.

Baltic moor Employed alongside a quay. Used when construction of the berth is no sufficiently strong enough to withstand ranging in bad weather. Can be employed for berthing a vessel in an onshore gale wind.

Procedures: For a average size merchant ship, a 25-30mm wire is passed from the after ends on the poop, along the offshore side, outside and clear of everything. Offshore anchor is cockbilled. A man is send overside on a chair to secure the wire with the anchor, preferably at the shackle. The wire is secured with ship's rail by sail twine in bights. The aft end of the wire is sent to a wrapping barrel, ready for heaving slack wire. When the stem is abreast the position of the quay where the bridge will be positioned, the anchor is let go. The vessel is still on headway. About half a ship's length of the cable, the cable is surged and then snubbed. The wire is hove-in aft. The onshore wind will drift the vessel to the berth. The scope of the cable and the wire is adjusted and veered slowly until the ship is alongside. Distance of ship, length of cable and wire must be considered. Normally, the anchor is dropped at a distance 2/3 shackles length of the cable from the quay, which may vary depending on the prevailing circumstance.

Mediterranean moor Method of securing a vessel stern to the berth. Both the anchors leading ahead to hold the bow in position. The approach should preferably be made with the berth on port side. The starboard anchor is let go about two ships length from the berth(1).

The vessel continues to move ahead. Starboard helm is applied and the cable is veered. The engines are then put astern and the port anchor is let go (2). As the vessel comes astern, transverse thrust swings the stern to port towards the berth. Stern lines are sent away.