SAFETY CHECKLIST
Below are some of the practical safety tips for anchoring and dragging anchor:
Anchoring
• Establish the depth of water, under keel clearance, nature of bottom, any subsea hazards, which anchor to use and how much cable to pay out based on the traffic conditions and the available sea room
• Select the position of the anchorage and plan the approach with the anchor party, taking into account the expected duration of stay at the anchorage
• Ensure the ship’s swinging circle has been determined and plotted on the chart and ECDIS from the nearest land, ship and charted obstructions
• Mark out no-go-areas on nautical charts so that such areas are readily apparent to navigating officers in an emergency
• Monitor the prevailing and forecasted weather, tidal stream and flow changes
• Keep the anchor party and main engine on standby or on short notice
Dragging Anchor
• Monitor the ship’s position and movement of other ships in the vicinity, as well as the weather and sea conditions by keeping sharp lookout and using all available means such radars or terrestrial objects
• Confirm whether the ship is dragging anchor by carefully monitoring the ships past position trail, observing any zigzag pattern from the initial let-go anchor position, and ensuring the ship stays within the swinging circle
• Monitor the movements of adjacent ships and the scope of their anchor cable, and any decrease in their closest point of approach (CPA), bearing in mind that all ships do not have the same scope of swinging circle and do not swing uniformly
• Check the anchor cable leading regularly, examining for any slacking or vibration on the chain cables
• Keep the anchor not in use on standby, ready for immediate dropping when required
• Call the master whenever there are any changes in circumstances or when there is doubt of dragging anchor
• Execute the contingency plans as per Company’s Safety Management System (SMS) to ensure rapid response times
• Get the anchor party to prepare the windlass and contact the engine room to get main engine for manoeuvring
• Inform ships in the vicinity and harbour authority of possibility of ship dragging anchor
• Request for pilot, if applicable, to re-anchor the ship and/or request for tugboat service to hold the ship in position
• Increase drafts to reduce the effects of a “zigzag” motion, whilst considering any draft restrictions and stability concerns
• Consider trimming the ship by head to reduce the windage area. This will impact the ship’s manoeuvrability, propeller submersion and may create stability concerns
• If there is enough sea room, increase the scope of the anchor chain to enhance holding power
• Drop the second anchor to improve holding power, either when initially at anchor, or when it is apparent one anchor is not holding. However, there is potential for fouling the anchors, when two are in use
• Utilise the bow thruster to reduce the oscillation whilst considering the load on the auxiliary engine
• Use of main engine to decrease the load on the anchor chain. When using the main engine in this way there is a possibility of the anchor breaking out from the ground and the ship will need to re-anchor
• Call for pilot and tugboat on standby to position the ship and prevent further dragging anchor
Dragging anchor incidents have the potential to escalate to high-risk incidents, involving groundings, collisions, allisions, pollution and damage to property. It is therefore essential that anchoring is always a well-planned operation which ensures the operational limits of the anchoring equipment are observed, and as a result minimise the likelihood of dragging anchor. The anchor watch should be carried out with due diligence and the officer should always be prepared to initiate the necessary actions if dragging is detected.
If required, additional training should be provided in order to increase the risk awareness, procedural knowledge and embed correct behaviours.
IIMS is grateful to Britannia P&I Club for sharing this information.
CONSIDERATIONS
The master must consider all action points and determine whether these actions could further complicate the situation for the ship’s safety.
THE REPORT | MAR 2024 | ISSUE 107 | 91
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