Posted: August 14th, 2022

Advancing Best Practices for Mooring and Anchoring Large Commercial Vessels

Advancing Best Practices for Mooring and Anchoring Large Commercial Vessels

Mooring and anchoring are essential operations for large commercial vessels, such as cargo ships, tankers, and cruise liners. These operations ensure the safety and stability of the vessels, as well as the protection of the environment and the port infrastructure. However, mooring and anchoring are also challenging and risky, especially in adverse weather conditions, congested waterways, or complex port layouts. Therefore, it is important to advance the best practices for mooring and anchoring large commercial vessels, based on the latest research, technology, and standards.

One of the best practices for mooring and anchoring is to conduct a thorough risk assessment before and during the operation. This involves identifying the hazards, evaluating the probabilities and consequences, and implementing appropriate mitigation measures. For example, a risk assessment may consider the wind speed and direction, the current and tide, the vessel size and draft, the mooring or anchoring equipment, the crew competence and experience, and the port regulations and procedures. A risk assessment can help to prevent accidents, such as mooring line failures, anchor dragging, or vessel collisions (Kim et al., 2019).

Another best practice for mooring and anchoring is to use advanced technology to enhance the efficiency and accuracy of the operation. This includes using sensors, cameras, GPS, radar, sonar, or other devices to monitor the vessel position, speed, heading, and motion. It also includes using automated or remote-controlled systems to control the mooring or anchoring equipment, such as winches, capstans, or brakes. For example, a smart mooring system can adjust the tension of the mooring lines automatically according to the environmental conditions and the vessel movements (Chen et al., 2020).

A third best practice for mooring and anchoring is to follow the international standards and guidelines for the operation. This includes complying with the relevant conventions, codes, regulations, or recommendations issued by organizations such as the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS), or the Oil Companies International Marine Forum (OCIMF). These standards and guidelines provide specifications for the design, installation, maintenance, inspection, and testing of the mooring or anchoring equipment. They also provide procedures for planning, executing, supervising, and documenting the mooring or anchoring operation. For example, a guideline for safe mooring of ships along quays provides criteria for selecting suitable berths, determining adequate mooring arrangements, applying proper mooring forces, and conducting regular inspections of the mooring lines (IMO MSC.1/Circ.1175/Rev.1).

In conclusion, mooring and anchoring are critical operations for large commercial vessels that require careful planning and execution. By advancing the best practices for mooring and anchoring based on risk assessment, technology innovation, and standard compliance, it is possible to improve the safety and performance of these operations.

References:

Chen Y., Wang J., Zhang Y., et al. (2020). A smart mooring system with self-adaptive tension adjustment for offshore floating structures. Ocean Engineering 211: 107664.

Kim D., Lee S., Kim H., et al. (2019). Risk assessment of ship-to-ship LNG bunkering operations in port areas using Bayesian network. Journal of Marine Science and Technology 24: 1007-1018.

IMO MSC.1/Circ.1175/Rev.1 (2014). Revised guidelines for safe mooring of ships along quays.

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