Mooring of ships - forces

Kapt. K. De Baere

Mooring of ship - 1
TVS 1ste kan
Purpose of mooring
configuration
 To bring the ship alongside
 To keep the ship alongside
 To assist the ship when un-mooring

Mooring of sh 2
Design criteria of mooring
configurations
 Based on the forces acting upon the ship
 Wind
 Current
 Waves
 Swell
 Other ships passing by (suction effect)
 Location of the berth – Protected or sea berth
 Types of ship – size, displacement, draught
etc.

Mooring of sh 3
Protected berths
 Design criteria – limiting values
 Cross wind up till 15m/sec (6-7
Beaufort)
 Tidal current of 3 knots in longitudinal
direction
 Cross current of 1 knot
 Cargo- and container ship are normally
moored along well protected berths =>
Mooring winches are designed to pull the
ship alongside with 1 headline and 1 stern
line against a cross wind of 5 Beaufort

Mooring of sh 4
Sea berths – designed for >wind

 Design criteria – limiting values

 Cross winds up till 20m/sec or 8
Beaufort and gust of winds up till
10 Beaufort
 Tidal current of 3 knots in
longitudinal direction
 Cross current of 1 knot
 Waves and swell
 Waves and swell with a short period
have a limited influence

Mooring of sh 5
Fetch
 The size of a wave depends on its
fetch. The fetch is the distance a
wave travels (see next slide). The
greater the fetch, the larger the
wave.
 If the wind is blowing for a longer
period of time in the same direction
=> long fetch with a high wave
height and a longer period =>
important dynamic effect on the ship

Mooring of sh 6
Fetch – Definition
Growth rate of wind generated waves
 The distance that wind and seas
(waves) can travel toward land
without being blocked. In areas
without obstructions the wind
and seas can build to great
strength, but in areas such as
sheltered coves and harbours
the wind and seas will be
calmer.
Mooring of sh 7
Mooring of VLCC’s
 Often moored outside the harbours along
sea berths
 Forces are so great that no winch is
capable of bringing the ship alongside
 Tugs are always used when mooring and
leaving berth
 The only criteria is the holding force of the
winches
 The ship must be maintained in position
related to the shore manifold (chiksans)
Mooring of sh 8
 Relation maximum pulling
power – Displacement ()
 Figures are used to design shore
facilities (bollards, bits ……….. Etc.)
 25% safety margin to be added

8000 ton – 100 kN 10.000 ton – 300 kN

20.000 ton – 600 kN 50.000 ton – 600 kN
100.000 ton – 1000 kN 200.000 ton – 1500 kN

1 kN = 1 ton pulling power (not scientific)

Mooring of sh 9
Mooring winch with
undivided drum

Mooring of sh 10
Mooring winches – Divided
drum-polyprop octopus

Mooring of sh 11
Chicksan

Mooring of sh 12
Chicksan
 One of the biggest
problems with the
fixed
loading/discharging
systems is the
restricted liberty of
movement of the
ship
 If one of the limits is
breached => ESD-
system activated

Mooring of sh 13
Assessing the forces
1. Forces due to wind and current are proportional
to the square of their speeds. f.i. the force caused
by a wind of 40 knots is 4 times the influence of
a wind of 20 knots
2. The wind speed increases with the height above
the ground. A wind of 10 knots at 2 meters
increases till 60 knots at 40 meters =>
importance of the freeboard (height of the
structure). To obtain comparable figures all
winds are recalculated to a standard height of 10
meters

Mooring of sh 14
Maximum wind limits (400.000 dwt ship)
in function of the breaking power of the
winches

Mooring of sh 15
Wind limits
 The previous pictures learns us
that;
1. The wind limit is determined by the
holding power (breaking power) of
the winches
2. The wind limit is determined by the
material of the mooring lines

Mooring of sh 16
Assessing the forces
3. Influence of a cross current is inverse
proportional with the keel clearance. In case of
a small keel clearance the current is obstructed
by the ships hull and searches way out via the
stem and the stern. A Suction effect is created
trying the move the ship away from the berth.

Mooring of sh 17
Theoretical example of the influence
of the keel clearance
 A ULCC with a draft of 15 meters is
moored alongside a berth with 16.5
meters of water => relation water
depth/draft = 1.1
 Relative resistance factor in case of cross
current = 5.6
 In case of unlimited water depth a cross
current of 1 knot produces a force of 60
tons

Mooring of sh 18
Theoretical example of the influence
of the keel clearance
 In case of a limited
water depth
(example) this
force is increased
till 5.6 x 60 ton =
336 ton
 This equals 9 steel
mooring ropes of
40mm diameter

Mooring of sh 19
Theoretical example of the influence
of the keel clearance
 The relative proportion of the
different elements has to be
considered
 Ballasting decreases the keel
clearance but also reduces the
lateral wind surface. The wind effect
is of greater importance than the
the clearance effect (see next slide).
Mooring of sh 20
Example of cross and
longitudinal forces

 18.000 & 70.000 SDWT: Wind 60 knots (30m/s),

current 5 knots longitudinal and 1 knot cross
current
 200.000 SDWT: Wind 60 knots, current 3 knots
longitudinal and 1 knot cross current

Mooring of sh 21
Conclusions
 In ballast condition the most important
forces are wind generated
 In loaded condition the most important
forces are current generated
 The total force on the ship (alongships +
athwartships) is greater in ballast
condition than in loaded condition =>
influence of the wind is of greater
importance

Mooring of sh 22
Different materials
 3 different configurations
 All steel wire ropes (equipped or not
equipped with tails)
 All ropes are synthetic

 Mixed systems (synthetic + steel wire

rope)
 New materials

Mooring of sh 23
Steel wire rope + tail
(ralonge de la touline)
 Purpose of the tail is to add elasticity to
account for change in tidal heights
 Always use 8 strands nylon with an MBL
25% > steel wire rope
 To protect against chafing cover splice of
the tail with leather or plastic
 The tail is connected to the steel wire rope
by means of a Tonsberg shackle or a
Mandal shackle
 In case of frequent use tails are changed
every 18 months
Mooring of sh 24
Steel wire rope + tail
 Steel wire rope have a high MBL and are
not elastic.
 Steel wire rope are stored on winch
drums with a manual brake
 Steel wire rope are relatively easy to
handle up to 40mm  ????
 Steel wire ropes last longer than synthetic
ropes
 Price steel wire = synthetic

Mooring of sh 25
Tonsberg shackles

Mooring of sh 26
Mandal Shackle

Mooring of sh 27
Full synthetic mooring
configuration
 Biggest problem is elasticity
 This elasticity can give an important
« sway » (balancer) to the ship (breaking
out)
 3 mooring ropes – different materials –
same length (50 m), MBL and load
 Steel wire – 0.3m elongation
 Polyprop – 5m elongation
 Nylon – 8 m elongation

Mooring of sh 28
Breaking out

Mooring of sh 29
Effect of the hawser elasticity on the
restraint capacity

1. Materials with the

smallest elasticity
take the biggest
load
2. Short rope = big
load
3. Relation -  is not
linear

Mooring of sh 30
Full synthetic mooring
configuration

 Synthetic fibres loose

tensile strength (force
de traction) if
submitted to cyclic
tensions attaining 30 to
50% of their MBL.
 Those cyclic tensions
are not constant, due to
resonance high
tensions occure during
short periods of time

Mooring of sh 31
Full synthetic mooring
configuration
 Because of;
 Cyclic tensions
 Internal friction
 Exposure to the marine environment
 Tensile strength of synthetic ropes will
diminish after 1 year
 Tensile strength of steel wire rope will
diminish after 5 years => more durable

Mooring of sh 32
Full synthetic mooring
configuration
 Another side effect
is sagging
(affaissement)
 The « sag » is
function of;
  m-n
 Weight of the
mooring line
 Tension in the line
 Water depth (suction
effect)

Mooring of sh 33
Full synthetic mooring
configuration
 Consequence of the sagging is that a
synthetic rope can never be pulled as stiff
as a wire rope.
 A wire rope will « react » faster on a
breaking out of the ship.
 A synthetic rope will compensate the the
sag before reacting
 Max. allowed distance between berth and
ship is normally limited to 6% of the water
depth
Mooring of sh 34
Mixed mooring systems
 Mix of wire ropes and synthetic
ropes
 Certainly NOT the best configuration
but the most common one.
 If possible use steel wire rope as
springs and breasts and use
synthetic ropes as head- and
stern line
Mooring of sh 35
New materials
 Composite materials
 Expensive but excellent mooring
system
 Kevlar –Aramid ropes are very
strong, light and show little sagging.
They react fast in case of breaking
out of the ship.

Mooring of sh 36
Efficient mooring
 The efficiency of a mooring rope
depends on the following factors
 Material (steel wire or synthetic –
elongation & MBL)
 Length
 Angles with longitudinal and transversal
axis in the horizontal plane
 Angles with the horizontal in the vertical
plane

Mooring of sh 37
Function of the different
ropes
 Head- and stern lines & the springs are
stabilising the ship alongside
 Breast line will prevent the ship to break
free from the berth
 Breast lines must be as perpendicular as
possible to the ships longitudinal axis
 Springs must be as parallel as possible to
the berth

Mooring of sh 38
Recommendations
 The function of springs and breast lines is
clear. Springs are preventing longitudinal
movement while breast are opposing
transversal movements.
 The function of head and the stern lines
depends on their angle with the
longitudinal axis. Great angle => they
serve mainly as breast line while small
angle => stopping longitudinal movement

Mooring of sh 39
Recommendations
 The ideal configuration will rarely be
achieved.
 To obtain a perfect mooring configuration
their must be a perfect harmony between
the ships equipment and disposition on
board and the configuration ashore
 Berthing ships is always a matter of
compromises

Mooring of sh 40
Recommendations
 Following recommendations have
been published by the OCIMF = Oil
Company International Maritime
Forum
 The recommendations are valid for a
tanker moored alongside a T-berth

Mooring of sh 41
Recommendations based on
OCIMF – Effective mooring
1. The horizontal angles of head-,
stern- and breast lines < 15°

Mooring of sh 42
Recommendations based on
OCIMF – Effective mooring
2. The vertical angle with the horizontal
plane must be < 25°
 The effective force is proportional to the
cosine of the angle
 If the angle is 25° the line is effective for
91%
 If the angle is 45° the efficiency is reduced
to 71%
 => Springs & breasts must be long
enough and not to steep

Mooring of sh 43
Springs & Breasts

Mooring of sh 44
 Recommendations based on
OCIMF – Effective mooring
3. Breast lines are most effective is 
on the longitudinal axis.

If  is 45° we have to increase the force in the

breast line till 141 ton to obtain an effective
transversal force of 100 ton
Mooring of sh 45
Recommendations based on
OCIMF – Effective mooring
4. Springs offer the greatest holding
power in the longitudinal direction.
Their length is  60 meters

Mooring of sh 46
Recommendations based on
OCIMF – Effective mooring
5. The impact of the head and the stern
lines on the total holding power of the
mooring configuration is less important
than the influence of springs and
breasts. This mainly because these lines
are too long.
 Never the less they are important to
compensate the dynamical forces.
 Length  110m = ½ coil

Mooring of sh 47
Recommendations based on
OCIMF – Effective mooring
6. Very short lines must be avoided.
They always take the most
important part of the load,
especially when the ship is moving

Short length = important vertical

angle

Mooring of sh 48
Short breast lines

 Long breast line: 52ton load is sufficient to

obtain an effective holding power of 50 ton
 Short breast line: Load has to be increased till
88 ton to obtain same result

Mooring of sh 49
Recommendations based on
OCIMF – Effective mooring
7. All the mooring ropes in the same group
(working in the same direction)must
have a same tension. If not, the
weakest line will break first. Total load
will have to be received by the
remaining lines => increased risk of
breaking (chain reaction)
 Groups are f.i. aft spring + head lines, Stern
lines + forward spring, breast lines

Mooring of sh 50
Recommendations based on
OCIMF – Effective mooring
8. Their must be an equilibrium
between the 4 groups (head- and
stern lines, springs and breasts.

Example: Optimal mooring

configuration is determined after
studying the static and dynamical
forces for a specific berth.
Mooring of sh 51
Mooring example
 Maximum breaking out from the berth = 1
meter
 Direction of the wind: 110° -> 290°
 Frequency 58%
 25.2% 3 à 4 Beaufort
 0.65% > 8 Beaufort
 Proposed configuration all nylon  80mm
(MBL 110 ton):
 4 breast lines (aft) + 1 stern line
 3 headlines + 3 breast lines (fore)

Mooring of sh 52
 The fore ship will resist a wind pressure of 32 knots
while the stern will resist a wind pressure of 33 knots
=> The berth will be operational till 7 Beaufort => not
operational 5.8% per year
 The configuration of the berth is not ideal since the
horizontal angles > 15°
 Recommendations based on
OCIMF – Effective mooring
9. The number of lines is function of
the size of the ship and the
prevailing weather conditions
A – Panamax (75.000 dwt) - 12 lines (2
headlines – 4 breasts – 4 springs – 2
stern lines: 2 –2 – 2 fore and aft)
B – VLCC (150.000 dwt) 16 lines (4
headlines – 4 breasts – 4 springs – 4
stern lines: 4 –2 – 2 fore and aft)

Mooring of sh 54
A – Panamax & B - VLCC

Mooring of sh 55
Mooring configurations bulk
carriers
 Cape Size: 4 –2 – 2 (fore and aft)
 Panamamax: 4 –1– 1 (fore and aft)
 Handy Size: 4 –1 (fore and aft)
 Mini Bulker: 3 –1 (fore and aft)
 Mini Bulker – moored so it can shift
forward and backwards during
loading/discharging

Mooring of sh 56
 Mooring
configurations
bulk carriers

Mooring of sh 57
Recommendations based on
OCIMF – Effective mooring
10. Mooring lines must be passed ashore
using the deck fittings (fairleads)
because of friction and the curvature
relation.
Curvature relation =  curvature deck
fitting/  mooring line
In case of a mooring wire relation has to
be > 20 to reduce loss in tensile
strength

Mooring of sh 58
Mooring configuration –
concentrated on the fore ship

Mooring of sh 59
Mooring of sh 60
Deck fittings
(accessoires
de pont)
OCIMF
equipment:
Panama
hawse- hole
Pedestal
Fairleads
(Chaumard)
 Info
Suez & Panama Canal

Mooring of ship - 63
TVS 1ste kan
Suez Canal
 Total length is 190.25 km
 Water surface width is 280.345 m
 Width between the buoys is 195.215 m
 Canal depth is 22.5 m
 Maximum ship draught allowed is 62ft
 Speed allowed for loaded carriers is 13 km/h
 Speed allowed for unloaded carriers is 14
km/h.
 Average transit time is 14 hours

Mooring of sh 64
Suez Canal
Panama Canal
 The Panama Canal is approximately 80
kilometers.
 The Canal uses a system of locks
 The locks function as water lifts: they raise
ships from sea level (the Pacific or the Atlantic)
to the level of Gatun Lake (26 meters above
sea level)

Mooring of sh 66
Panama Canal
 Each set of locks bears the name of the
townsite where it was built: Gatun (on the
Atlantic side), and Pedro Miguel and Miraflores
(on the Pacific side).
 The maximum dimensions of ships that can
transit the Canal are: 32.3 meters in beam; draft
12 meters in Tropical Fresh Water; and 294.1
meters long
 The narrowest portion of the Canal is Culebra
Cut
Mooring of sh 67
Panama Canal

Mooring of sh 68
Gatun Lock

Mooring of sh 69
Gaillard
Cut
Pedro Miguel Locks

Mooring of sh 71
Mira Flores Locks

Mooring of sh 72
4-roller fear
lead Towing
Bracket
Smit Towing Bracket

Mooring of sh 74
Chocks and buttons

Mooring of sh 75
Bits and Bollards

Mooring of sh 76
Panama chocks

Mooring of sh 77
Roller Chocks

Mooring of sh 78
Roller Fairleads

Mooring of sh 79
Towing pads (point d’attache pour le
câble de remorque)

Mooring of sh 80
Emergency Towing Systems
 SOLAS Requirement
 Regulation Chapter II-1, A-1, 3-4
 Since 1996, January 1, all tankers exceeding,
20,000 DWT are to have an emergency towing
arrangement fitted at the aft and forward. This
IMO resolution MSC35(63) which covers the
installation of emergency towing arrangements
on tankers was decreed after the unfortunate
disaster of the MV Braer in 1993.

Mooring of sh 81
Emergency Towing Systems
- Aft beneath deck

Mooring of sh 82
Emergency Towing Systems
Typical Arrangements Fwd

Mooring of sh 83
Demo

Mooring of sh 84
Mooring alongside a classic
berth (quay)

Mooring of sh 85
Mooring alongside a classic
berth (quay)
 Different methods – see lab ship’s
technique
 Practical techniques – see lab ship’s
technique

Mooring of sh 86
 Mooring
alongside a
classic
berth
(quay)

Mooring of sh 87
Mooring alongside a T-berth

Mooring of sh 88
Mooring with 2 anchors

Mooring of sh 89
Ship to ship

Mooring of sh 90
SPM – Single Point Mooring
Buoy

Mooring of sh 91
SPM - buoy

Mooring of sh 92
SPM - buoy

Mooring of sh 93
FPSO – single point mooring

Mooring of sh 94
FSO - operations

Mooring of sh 95
STL – Submerged Turret
Loading

Mooring of sh 96
STP – Submerged Turret
Production

Mooring of sh 97
STP – Submerged Turret
Production

Mooring of sh 98
Safe fibre ropes
1. Ropes should be covered when they are not
being handled, and stowed away when not
in use at sea, to prevent contamination by
oils and chemicals, and degradation by
sunlight.
2. Ropes must be kept away from heat, oil,
paint and chemicals.
3. Ropes should be stowed on gratings for
ventilation and drainage.
4. Ropes must be examined regularly for wear,
stranding, melting and powdering, and
replaced if serious defects are found.

Mooring of sh 111
Safe Wire Rope
1. Wires should be lubricated regularly with
an approved lubricant.
2. Everyone who handles wires should wear
leather -palmed gloves to protect their
hands from snags.
3. Wires must be examined regularly for
wear, stranding, dry core, kinks, and
excessively flattened areas. They must be
replaced if the number of broken strands
(snags) exceed 10% of the strands in any
length equal to eight diameters, or if any
other serious defects are found.

Mooring of sh 112
Safe line handling – see lab
1. Flake out all mooring lines on the deck,
clear, and ready to send. This will ensure
that any fibre lines which have become
buried on reels can be freed in advance,
when there is less likelihood of accidents.
Do not use a wire direct from a reel
designed only for stowing.
2. Have all necessary heaving lines,
messengers, tails and stoppers available at
the mooring station, and rat guards ready
for use.

Mooring of sh 113
 Flaking out mooring lines

Lover les
aussières à la
française
De trossen zijn
klaar gelegd in
franse bochten

To avoid that someone puts his foot/feet in a

loop
Mooring of sh 114
Safe position between
mooring ropes
 Position yourself
away from the
whip

Mooring of sh 115
Putting the mooring rope on the
warping head of the winch
 The anchor winch
has maximum
power when it runs
in the sense of
picking up the
anchor (anti-clock
wise)

Mooring of sh 116
Safe line handling – see lab
3. Have sufficient crew available.
4. All crew should wear safety helmets and
safety shoes, and have no loose clothing
which could become entangled in the
winches or trapped by the lines. Gloves
should be tight fitting, to reduce the risk
of becoming trapped by lines, and should
have a leather palm to protect the hand
against abrasion and prevent wounds
caused by snags of wires; they should
provide adequate insulation in cold
weather.

Mooring of sh 117
Safe line handling – see lab
5. When one seaman is handling a line on a
drum end, he should not stand too close to
the drum to avoid being drawn in. There
should be an additional seamen whose
duty is to clear the loose line when
heaving, and supply the loose line when
slacking.
6. The person operating the winch controls
should have a clear view of the entire area
including any seaman handling lines with
that winch.

Mooring of sh 118
Traditional stopper
 A traditional
stopper using a
single line may be
used only on a
mooring line made
of natural
materials, as shown
below, but such
mooring lines are
no longer common
on board ship

Mooring of sh 123
Safe line handling – see lab
15. Stand well clear of all lines under tension.
This means everybody, not just those
handling that line.
16. Synthetic fibre ropes may break without
warning, and the resultant whiplash may
cause severe injuries or even death.
17. Synthetic fibre mooring ropes should be
stoppered using two tails of fibre rope, half
hitched under the mooring rope, with the
two free ends criss-crossed over and under,
as shown in the diagram below: (This is
sometimes known as a Chinese stopper.)

Mooring of sh 124
Safe line handling – see lab
18. Mooring wires should be stoppered using
a chain stopper with a well-spaced cow
hitch (Lark’s head)(Deux demi clefs
renversées)(it is recommended that the
two hitches are at least 25 cm. apart) and
with the remainder of the chain and its
rope tail turned up several times against
the lay, as shown in the diagram below.
The cow hitch is used because it is easily
pulled loose when no longer required, a
clove hitch (mastworp -Deux demi clefs à
capeler (noeud de cabestan)) is likely to
jam.

Mooring of sh 125
Chain stopper

Mooring of sh 126
 Safe mooring
1. All operations must be carried out ONLY under
the direct orders of the supervising officer.
2. The supervising officer must ensure that
communications with the bridge are
-CONTINUOUSLY maintained. If using radios
all calls should start with the ship’s name (to
avoid confusion), and then the caller should
immediately identify himself and who he is
calling to avoid confusion on one’s own ship A
spare fully-charged battery should be carried
whenever portable radios are used. A back up
system must be readily available at all times.
Safe mooring
3. Check with the bridge before sending the
first lines, and before making any lines fast.
4. Keep the bridge informed of distances off
the quay, any obstructions and other
moored ships, lighters or other floating
objects.
5. Advise the bridge if there is any possibility
that a slack line may become entangled in
the propeller - or thrusters.
6. Warn the bridge if any lines become
excessively taut.

Mooring of sh 133
Safe mooring
7. Make fast and cast off tugs only on orders
from the bridge.
8. When heaving lines are being thrown,
ensure that all personnel ashore and on
board are alerted, and stand well clear.
9. The supervising officer must make sure he
can always see both the winch operators
and the particular line when giving orders
for adjusting the tension in a line.

Mooring of sh 134
Safe mooring
10. Secure the lines as per the Master’s
orders. i.e. which lines to leave on the
drums, which lines to make fast on bitts,
Which lines to leave in auto/self-tension,
if any, and what level to set the controls.
11. Ensure rat guards are properly fitted to all
lines.
12. The supervising officer must remain at the
mooring station, with his full crew, until
he is dismissed by the Master.

Mooring of sh 135
Plague Control ?
 Deratisation
 Rat guards

Mooring of sh 136
Mooring of sh 137
Mooring of sh 138
Mooring of sh 139
Self Tensioning Winches
 Self tensioning winches can be set to a
certain holding force. If this value is
exceeded, then the winch automatically
adjusts the length of wire to the new force
(too much holding force: slacking; too little
holding force: heaving). This system is
frequently used by ships that load and
discharge quickly (container ships and Ro-
Ro-vessels) or if there is a large tidal range
in the port.

Mooring of sh 140
Self Tensioning Winches
1. Control lever for the
winch
2. Cooling fan
3. Control for the self-
tension setting

Mooring of sh 141
Self Tensioning Winches
 The heaving power of a winch is always lower than its
render force. This means that if a winch is left in self-
tension, and the external forces increase, the line will pay
out, and it may not be possible to heave it in again until
such external forces reduce. Also, the render force of the
winch is much less than the holding power of the brake
 Self-tensioning winches at opposite ends of the ship can
work against each other, so that the ship can sometimes
‘walk’ along the berth, when an external force is applied
at one end.

Mooring of sh 142
Self Tensioning Winches
 Hence it is recommended that mooring lines are NOT left
in self-tension once the ship is secure alongside. With short
breast lines in fair weather, these controls may be useful
during rapid load/discharge operations. However, those
winches which are directly counteracting any external
forces must be left on the brake.
 Self-tensioning winches are useful during berthing
operations with reduced manning, as once the line is
ashore and the controls set, they will reel in any slack,
maintain the tension in the line, and prevent the line being
damaged through excessive strain.

Mooring of sh 143
Keeping moorings taut
 The OOW must ensure that the mooring lines are kept
sufficiently taut at all times to keep the ship firmly
alongside. At rapid loading or discharging berths, the
Chief Officer may assign additional crew to assist the
OOW, as the operation of adjusting the lines may have to
be done frequently. The 00W must never attempt to adjust
a mooring line by himself, unless it is permanently wound
on its own drum.
 If the lines are not in equal tension, they may part in
succession if the ship is subject to exceptional high forces,
such as very strong winds, large swells or water surges
from other ships passing too close and/or too fast.

Mooring of sh 144
Keeping moorings taut
 Brake linings can lose their grip when oil and rust are present,
and are susceptible to loss of holding power during periods of
rain or high humidity.
 The OOW should remember to adjust any fire wires as the ship’s
freeboard changes, to ensure that their ends remain clear of the
water.
 It is essential for the OOW to check the moorings when other
ships are arriving at or leaving from the berth immediately
ahead or astern of their ship.
 It is good practice for the OOW to be in attendance forward or
aft whenever the adjacent ship is arriving or sailing to watch out
for contact damage, or other incidents, in addition to monitoring
the moorings.

Mooring of sh 145
  Strong steel wire
Fire wire  1 end is put on a
bollard
 Other end is hanging
overboard +/- 1 meter
above the water
 The outer end is held in
position by means of a
weak line.
 Middle part is flaked
out on deck
 In case of fire a
tugboat can grab the
outer eye and pull the
tanker free of the berth
Excerpt from terminal rules and
regulations - Saoudi Arabia
 TOWING-OFF WIRES OF ADEQUATE STRENGTH AND
CONDITION MUST BE MADE FAST TO BOLLARDS ON
THE TANKER. FORWARD AND AFT, AND THEIR EYES
RUN OUT AND MAINTAINED AT OR ABOUT THE
WATERLINE. THE WIRES MUST BE OVER THE
OFFSHORE SIDE.

IN ORDER THAT SUFFICIENT WIRE CAN BE PUT OUT

TO ENABLE THE TUGS TO TOW EFFECTIVELY,
ENOUGH SLACK MUST BE RETAINED BETWEEN THE
BOLLARD AND CHECK AND PREVENTED FROM
RUNNING OUT BY A ROPEYARN OR OTHER EASILY
BROKEN MEANS

Mooring of sh 147
Chafing (Frotter – Raboter)
 The OOW must check the moorings at least hourly during
his watch, not only to ensure they remain taut but also to
look out for chafing, where the rope rubs against an
obstruction, and may part. This may occur when the ship
is surging back and forth along the quay due to a large
swell, or when there is excessive movement of a mooring
buoy. Synthetic fibre ropes possess very low resistance to
chafing when under load; the friction generates heat
which causes them to melt and fuse, and the rope is then
permanently weakened, and may part quite quickly.

Mooring of sh 148
Chafing (Frotter – Raboter)
 Ropes may chafe by rubbing against each other, or
against the ropes of another ship. The officers on stand-by
fore and aft during mooring operations must be alert for
this when sending ropes to different bollards ashore
through different leads on board. If they notice any
chafing, they should have that line removed and sent from
a different lead. Short leads with substantial dips are
prone to chafing on the ship’s structure.

Mooring of sh 149
Chafing
 Sometimes a change in freeboard, or some external
factors such as a change in the sea state, may cause lines
to start chafing. If he notices any chafing, OOW must
clear the obstruction, change the lead of the mooring
rope, or wrap the rope in canvas or some other material to
bear the rubbing and wearing away action. The outside of
the canvas may be greased to reduce the friction, but this
grease must not be allowed to remain in contact with fibre
ropes as it will cause them to deteriorate. The OOW must
always advise the Chief Officer of his observations and
actions.

Mooring of sh 150
Emergencies
 Occasionally unexpected changes of load may cause the
brakes of the mooring line drums to slip, and the vessel
is at risk of moving off the berth. DO NOT RELEASE
THE BRAKES AND ATTEMPT TO HEAVE THE SHIP
BACK ALONGSIDE USING ONLY THE POWER OF
THE WINCH.
The recommended action is:
1. If the winches are in self-tension apply the brakes IN
ADDITION.
2. If the brakes are in use, tighten them, put the winch in
gear and heave on as many lines as possible.

Mooring of sh 151
Emergencies
3. Inform the senior officers, and seek extra crew assistance
4. Summon tug assistance if necessary.
5. Consider reducing the freeboard by ballasting.
6. The OOW should remember that brake holding power is
always greater than winch heaving power, but that the
two together increase the load.
For example:
Winch render force = 35 tonnes.
Brake holding power = 65 tonnes.
Total holding power = 100 tonnes.

Mooring of sh 152
Emergencies
He should be careful this does not exceed the breaking
strain of the rope, or the safe working load of the leads
and rollers. However, in an emergency it will usually be
preferable to endeavour to hold the ship in position and
risk breaking the lines.

Mooring of sh 153
 Mooring
equipment
ashore

Mooring of sh 154
Equipment ashore
 Bollards and bitts
 Winches - capstans
 Quick release hooks
 Laser docking systems
 Mooring line monitoring systems
 Fenders

Mooring of sh 155
Bitts and bollards

Mooring of sh 156
Capstans

Mooring of sh 157
Quick Release Hooks
 The basic starting point to any
integrated mooring system
 Can be released manually or
(electric, hydraulic or telemetry) and
can incorporate load pins for
optional multipoint computer-based
remotely mooring line tension
monitoring systems
Mooring of sh 158
Quick Release Hooks

Mooring of sh 159
Quick release hooks

Explosion proof double

hook unit

Quad. hook with load

monitoring and
remoter release
system

Mooring of sh 160
Mooring Line Monitoring
System
 The vessel Mooring
Line Monitoring system
(MLM), provides real
time monitoring of all
mooring lines and
warns of excessive or
out-of-range loads.
 Changing weather
conditions or current
loading can cause
unequal load sharing
within the mooring
system. This can lead
to potential failure of
mooring lines and
damage to jetty

Mooring of sh 161
Mooring Line Monitoring
System
 Load on the hooks is
measured by load
pins
 Data is transferred to
the jetty control room
 Data is completed
with environmental
data and data
concerning the
movement of the ship
alongside

Mooring of sh 162
Environmental data
 Data is collected
by a buoy and
presented on
graphic display

Mooring of sh 163
 Laser docking systems
 The primary benefit of a Docking Aid System or
DAS is the provision of real time data of the
vessel’s position and progress relative to the
jetty by measuring distance from the jetty and
speed of approach in the critical 0 to 200
meters zone.
 With this data the vessel’s master and pilot can
better direct tug and shipboard personnel in the
safe manoeuvring of the vessel towards the
jetty and minimize any potential for damage to
the berth
Mooring of sh 164
Laser docking systems
 Typically, two sensors are located
on the jetty measuring distance to
bow and stern sections of the ship.
 This together with average speed
are captured at the jetty control
unit and displayed to the ship and
mooring crew on wireless monitor,
computer screen or jetty mounted
display board, as required.
 Earlier systems used radar sensors,
however today laser sensors are
the most reliable technology
employed for vessel docking.

Mooring of sh 165
Laser docking systems

Mooring of sh 166
Docking systems – GPS
based f.i. e-fix system
 Ship trials (speed and
manoeuvring)
 Oil and gas tanker
approaches and
docking operations
 SPM/FSO Docking and
Drift Warning
 Oil rig positioning
 Navigation of ships
into locks & docks
 Ferry operations

Mooring of sh 167
Docking systems – GPS
based f.i. e-fix system
 It should be noted that the E-Sea Fix system can be
integrated into existing Laser Docking Systems.
 All data from an existing Laser Docking System
(such as environmental data, load arm monitoring,
mooring load monitoring and drift warning
information) can be relayed and displayed on the
pilot monitor.
 A receiver is capable of receiving signals from both
the US constellation as well as the Soviet based
GLONASS constellation. This dual constellation
ensures that the number of satellites visible to the
receivers is maximised.

Mooring of sh 168
Accuracy
 Speed accuracy better than any ship’s
log, ± 1 cm per second i.e. ± 0.02 knots
 Heading accuracy better than any gyro
system, approximately ± 0.01 degree
 Rate of turn better than any rate gyro
system, approximately ± 0.02
degree/second and up
 Position accuracy to a few centimetres

Mooring of sh 169
Docking systems – GPS
based f.i. e-fix system
 Signal is used as
input for an ECDIS
based on C-map or
S-57 maps.
 Portable version
exists

Mooring of sh 171
Berth management systems
 A « Berth Manager» monitors the vessel
approach, mooring load and environmental
situation in a single integrated system, with a
range of optional displays, readouts and
functions, and provides the port operator with
comprehensive reporting on the behaviour of
vessels while in the confines of the port. The
system assists the docking procedure and
monitors mooring performance.

Mooring of sh 172
Berth management systems

Mooring of sh 173
Fenders
 Used to:
 Divide the load
 Protect the berth

 Protect the ship

 Fenders can be fixed or mobile

Mooring of sh 174
Yokohama Fenders

Mooring of sh 175
Yokohama Fenders

Mooring of sh 176
Fixed fenders

Mooring of sh 177
Mooring equipment on
board

Mooring of sh 178
Mooring equipment on
board
 Heaving line (ligne d’attrape)
 Messenger (grelin)
 Tails

Mooring of sh 179
Heaving line (ligne
d’attrape)

Mooring of sh 180
heaving line (Ligne
d’attrape)

Mooring of sh 181
Messenger - grelin

Mooring of sh 182
Tail (allongement de la
touline)

Mooring of sh 183
Passing ropes ashore
 Before arriving at the dock all crewmembers should
put on their Personal Protective Equipment and move
out onto the deck. All lines should be prepared for
docking making sure that they will feed out freely.
 There should always be someone on the dock to
receive the line.
 Do not attempt to throw the line to the bitt.
 If the boat is to be moored some distance from the
dock a messenger line (grelin) with a monkey’s fist
can be thrown and then hauled in to transfer the
mooring line safely to the dock.

Mooring of sh 184
Passing ropes ashore
 If you are sharing the bitt or bollard with another
vessel feed the eye of the mooring line through the
eye of the line already on the bitt and then place the
eye over the bitt.
 This will allow you or the other vessel to quickly
remove a line without disturbing the remaining line.

Mooring of sh 185
Passing ropes ashore

Mooring of sh 186
Putting 2 ropes on the
same bitt
1.Wrong
2.Correct

The « other » ship

can leave without
disturbing our
mooring
configuration

Mooring of sh 187
Passing ropes ashore
 While handling lines you must be very conscious of
the placement of your hands and feet in proximity
to the line. Never put your hand in the bight of the
line at the bitt, and watch that you do not step into
the bight of the line on the deck with your foot. If
the boat surges you can be caught in an instant,
resulting in serious injury or death.

Mooring of sh 188
Passing ropes ashore
 Never place yourself in
a position where the
line can pinch you up
against the bulwarks or
equipment on deck.
You will never be able
to move quick enough
to get out of the way or
have the strength to
keep the line off you!

Mooring of sh 189