Subscribe to our Mailing Lists (It's free!)
Saturday, February 4, 2023
SAFETY4SEA
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    fire cruise ship sydney

    Fire onboard cruise ship in Sydney harbour

    barge sinks goa india

    Barge sinks at at anchorage in Goa, India

    uscg towing vessels

    USCG: Cancelation of Certificate of Inspection Phase-In Period policy letter

    fishing vessels safety

    Recommendations for USCG to improve fishing vessels safety

  • SEAFiT
    • All
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
    How are you making decisions? The 6 human needs

    How are you making decisions? The 6 human needs

    how to fall asleep

    6 tips to help you fall asleep when you wake up at night

    psychotherapy

    Working in business? How psychotherapy can be a life-changing experience

    sexual health

    Sexual health important to overall wellbeing: Key considerations

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    gtt onboard co2 carbon capture

    GTT receives €4.66M for onboard CO2 capture system

    Hydrogen Carrier Powering Fuels Cells

    EU funds project using green hydrogen from liquid organic hydrogen carriers

    offshore wind carbon trust

    Offshore wind developers partner with Carbon Trust to decarbonize industry

    equinor engie hydrogen

    Equinor, Engie move forward with hydrogen project in Belgium

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    maersk ashdod port

    Maersk, Ashdod Port Company partner to drive logistics and supply chain innovation

    klaveness autonomous hull cleaning

    Klaveness: Roll-out of semi-autonomous hull cleaning solution

    mol Vessel Cyber Resilience

    MOL: World’s first company to receive AiP for vessel cyber resilience

    ukho paper chart

    UKHO: Paper chart withdrawal extended beyond 2026

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
    philippines 18 detained fuel theft

    Philippines: 18 from 3 ships detained for fuel theft

    black sea mou cic stcw

    Black Sea MoU: Preliminary results of CIC on STCW

    Keppel Offshore fines

    Keppel Offshore & Marine pays $65m in fines after corruption case

    fmc delay and disruption claims

    FMC: Increase in “Delay and Disruption” claims

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Reports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    world cancer day

    World Cancer Day 2023: Time to close the care gap

    rotterdam shortsea terminals

    Watch: Rotterdam Short Sea Terminals aspires to be the best shortsea terminal in Europe

    panama canal draft adjustment

    Panama Canal: Draft adjustment for Neopanamax locks

    whales fatalities offshore wind

    NOIA: No connection between whale deaths and offshore wind

  • Columns
    Maritime Just Transition Task Force: Engaging industry in social dialogue

    Maritime Just Transition Task Force: Engaging industry in social dialogue

    Career Paths: David Tournay, Maritime Skills Alliance

    Career Paths: Sinikka Hartonen, One Sea Association

    Career Paths: David Tournay, Maritime Skills Alliance

    Career Paths: David Tournay, Maritime Skills Alliance

    Trending Tags

    • Career Paths
    • Industry Voices
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Safety
    • All
    • Accidents
    • Alerts
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
    fire cruise ship sydney

    Fire onboard cruise ship in Sydney harbour

    barge sinks goa india

    Barge sinks at at anchorage in Goa, India

    uscg towing vessels

    USCG: Cancelation of Certificate of Inspection Phase-In Period policy letter

    fishing vessels safety

    Recommendations for USCG to improve fishing vessels safety

  • SEAFiT
    • All
    • Intellectual
    • Mental
    • Physical
    • Social
    • Spiritual
    How are you making decisions? The 6 human needs

    How are you making decisions? The 6 human needs

    how to fall asleep

    6 tips to help you fall asleep when you wake up at night

    psychotherapy

    Working in business? How psychotherapy can be a life-changing experience

    sexual health

    Sexual health important to overall wellbeing: Key considerations

  • Green
    • All
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
    gtt onboard co2 carbon capture

    GTT receives €4.66M for onboard CO2 capture system

    Hydrogen Carrier Powering Fuels Cells

    EU funds project using green hydrogen from liquid organic hydrogen carriers

    offshore wind carbon trust

    Offshore wind developers partner with Carbon Trust to decarbonize industry

    equinor engie hydrogen

    Equinor, Engie move forward with hydrogen project in Belgium

  • Smart
    • All
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
    maersk ashdod port

    Maersk, Ashdod Port Company partner to drive logistics and supply chain innovation

    klaveness autonomous hull cleaning

    Klaveness: Roll-out of semi-autonomous hull cleaning solution

    mol Vessel Cyber Resilience

    MOL: World’s first company to receive AiP for vessel cyber resilience

    ukho paper chart

    UKHO: Paper chart withdrawal extended beyond 2026

  • Risk
    • All
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
    philippines 18 detained fuel theft

    Philippines: 18 from 3 ships detained for fuel theft

    black sea mou cic stcw

    Black Sea MoU: Preliminary results of CIC on STCW

    Keppel Offshore fines

    Keppel Offshore & Marine pays $65m in fines after corruption case

    fmc delay and disruption claims

    FMC: Increase in “Delay and Disruption” claims

  • Others
    • All
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Reports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
    world cancer day

    World Cancer Day 2023: Time to close the care gap

    rotterdam shortsea terminals

    Watch: Rotterdam Short Sea Terminals aspires to be the best shortsea terminal in Europe

    panama canal draft adjustment

    Panama Canal: Draft adjustment for Neopanamax locks

    whales fatalities offshore wind

    NOIA: No connection between whale deaths and offshore wind

  • Columns
    Maritime Just Transition Task Force: Engaging industry in social dialogue

    Maritime Just Transition Task Force: Engaging industry in social dialogue

    Career Paths: David Tournay, Maritime Skills Alliance

    Career Paths: Sinikka Hartonen, One Sea Association

    Career Paths: David Tournay, Maritime Skills Alliance

    Career Paths: David Tournay, Maritime Skills Alliance

    Trending Tags

    • Career Paths
    • Industry Voices
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Resilience
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
  • Events
  • Plus
No Result
View All Result
SAFETY4SEA

Do’s and don’ts when dragging anchor

by The Editorial Team
November 19, 2019
in Maritime Knowledge
hong kong lessons learned
FacebookTwitterEmailLinkedin

A dragging anchor is one of the many unwelcome incidents a ship may encounter during its operational life at sea. Sometimes the anchor may drag, something that may not be in control of the crew. So, what rests for the crew to do is to recognize the signs of a dragging anchor: Early identification is the key to avoid accident-related to the dragging anchor situations.

The most frequent anchor-related incidents occur when the anchor drags and the vessel drifts without holding power, which could lead to collisions, groundings or strandings.

But let us take things from the beginning.

 

Why do ships anchor?

An anchor is -usually a metal- device, used to connect a vessel to the seabed, to prevent it from drifting due to wind or current.

Anchors achieve holding power either by “hooking” into the seabed or sheer mass or both.

The reasons that a ship stays at anchor vary:

  • Cargo loading and unloading
  • Undergoing maintenance or cleaning
  • Waiting for instructions from owners- charters or waiting for berthing

In the current shipping trade operations, waiting at anchorage is inevitable for ships at most ports of the world. This “waiting time” at anchorage can be days or even weeks.

 

What is dragging anchor?

A “dragging anchor” means the ship drifts without holding power even though it has been anchored. This can lead to less or more serious incidents, as collisions, groundings or strandings.

RelatedNews

World Cancer Day 2023: Time to close the care gap

What can be done about the plight of abandoned seafarers

 

3 indicators the ship is dragging anchor 

  1. The bow cannot stand against the wind.
  2. The ship’s side against the wind has not changed.
  3. There are extraordinarily large vibrations coming from the anchor chains.

 

Why it happens? 

Simply put, “when an external force exceeds that of the anchor’s holding power, it will drag”.

Heavy weather is among the common causes of shipping accidents, but the most common cause of dragging anchor.

 

 

#Tips: How to know when the ship is dragging anchor

  • Know position of the anchor by noting down the position of the ship when the anchor is dropped.
  • Press the MOB button on the GPS when the anchor is dropped.
  • Set the anchor alarm to make good use of available electronic aids.
  • Check the ship’s speed; If the ship is moving with the flow of the current, it is possible that its anchor is dragging.
  • Watch the anchor chain in water; As the ship is falling back, anchor is expected to hold the ship and stop it from falling back.
  • Flag on the anchor chain; If the flag falls down, this could be the first indication of anchor dragging.

 

Do’s and Don’ts to avoid dragging anchor

Do Don’t
Use anchor watch function of the ECDIS as a supplement to GPS anchor alarm. …set the anchor watch on ECDIS without testing it.
Know the weather and bear in mind the wind direction. …anchor on a lee shore even if the chart has an anchor symbol on it.
Be aware in advance: Study charts, consider the seabed, check the charted depth. …forget to doublecheck there will be sufficient chain for high water.
Always keep a proper watchkeeping. …underestimate the importance of extra lookout.
Make the deep draft. …keep close distance from other anchored ships.

 

 

Do’s and Don’ts when dragging anchor

Sometimes, even if everything is done right, dragging anchor may still occur, so the next best practice is to do everything to minimize significantly adverse impacts:

Do Don’t
Use bow thrusters, main engine and steering to manoeuvre. …override the anchor.
If dragging is inevitable, let the vessel drag in a controlled manner. …do so when you know oil and gas operations are being carried out in the vicinity.
Deploy more cables. …drop a second anchor unless the ship is small.
Always inform the Master and the main engine and call assistance tug. …forget to inform alert VTS and other vessels nearby of the condition.
Stop all cargo operations. …maintain cargo barges.

 

MOORING PROCEDURES: Read in this series

safe mooring

6 tips for safe mooring operations

December 13, 2019
captain

Case study: Mooring line failure onboard

December 3, 2019
Brazil

Mooring Equipment Guidelines: Updates and new terms

December 3, 2019
mooring injury

Mooring Incidents: Assessing common pitfalls and key challenges

December 2, 2019
hong kong lessons learned

Do’s and don’ts when dragging anchor

November 19, 2019
captain

Safe Mooring: Key challenges

October 9, 2019
killed mooring line

INTERTANKO publishes guide on Mooring System Management Plans and Line Management Plans

March 15, 2019
captain

OCIMF MEG 4 Review: Mooring lines issues in the spotlight

November 26, 2018
mooring

Procedures: Mooring line handling tips

August 23, 2018
killed mooring line

OCIMF Mooring Equipment Guidelines (MEG4) – An Update

August 6, 2018

 


A little flash of history

  • The word derives from Latin “ancora”, which itself comes from the ancient Greek word “ἄγκυρα” (ankura).
  • The most ancient anchors were probably rocks and many rock anchors have been found dating from at least the Bronze Age.
Tags: anchorbest practicesMaripediamooringMooring Procedures cm

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

fire cruise ship sydney

Fire onboard cruise ship in Sydney harbour

February 3, 2023
gtt onboard co2 carbon capture

GTT receives €4.66M for onboard CO2 capture system

February 3, 2023

SEAFiT Poll

What is the biggest obstacle for the social life onboard?

Stay tuned for the results!

MARITIME EVENTS

Explore

  • Safety
  • Green
  • Smart
  • Risk
  • Others
  • Events
  • Plus

Useful Links

  • About
  • Disclaimer
  • Editorial Policies
  • Advertising
  • Contact

RISK4SEA Facts

Did you know which port has the largest Detention Rate in Tokyo MoU for Bulk Carriers in 2020? Tanjung Priok, Indonesia, had a Detention Rate of 27% in 37 inspections.

Learn more risk4sea.com

© 2021 SAFETY4SEA

No Result
View All Result
  • Safety
    • Alerts
    • Accidents
    • Loss Prevention
    • Maritime Health
    • Regulation
    • Safety
    • Seafarers
    • Security
  • Green
    • Arctic
    • Ballast
    • Emissions
    • Fuels
    • Green Shipping
    • Pollution
    • Ship Recycling
    • Technology
  • Smart
    • Connectivity
    • Cyber Security
    • E-navigation
    • Energy Efficiency
    • Maritime Software
    • Smart
  • Risk
    • CIC
    • Detentions
    • Fines
    • PSC Focus
    • Vetting
  • Others
    • Diversity in shipping
    • Maritime Knowledge
    • Offshore
    • Ports
    • Reports
    • Shipping
    • Sustainability
    • Videos
  • Columns
    • Opinions
    • Career Paths
    • Industry Voices
    • Maripedia
    • Maritime History
    • Seafarers Stories
    • SeaSense
  • Events
  • Plus

© 2021 SAFETY4SEA

This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Disclaimer.