Things To Remember In Emergency Anchor Drop

9 Points To Remember When Dropping Anchor In An Emergency

Sea and environmental conditions are one of the important factors that affect the navigation of ships. Emergency dropping anchor may be necessary in the event of a steering system failure, potential collision, shallow water maneuvering, etc.

Dropping anchor is usually done to reduce the speed of the ship as quickly as possible to avoid accidents. When dropping anchor at sea, the time to raise the anchor is limited, which means that the responsible driver must act decisively within the specified time.

Emergency dropping anchor

The following points should be noted when dropping anchor in an emergency:

1. The driver should be at the bow, equipped with a portable VHF radio , a flashlight, and equipment to release the bow fender. During the last anchoring operation, the brakes and bow fender must be checked for proper operation.

2. The side of the ship must be checked for small boats, dinghies, tugboats, barges or similar obstacles, especially under the anchor, to prevent harm to others.

3. The driver must maintain continuous communication with the bridge in order to send and receive instructions from the captain. This includes the location and number of anchors that need to be released, as well as the number of shackles required.

4. After receiving the required information, the driver must open the anchor gate and release the anchor directly from the mooring pipe. In this case, there is no time to re-release the anchor due to the imminent danger.

5. The cables must be constantly checked and the number of shackles passed must be counted according to the instructions from the bridge.

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6. If too much cable is released without supervision, the anchor is prone to become taut, causing the cable to break under the momentum of the ship.

7. If too little anchor chain is released, the anchor will not be able to fully contact the seabed, thus defeating the purpose of anchoring.

8. The number of anchors usually set is two to three times the water depth. The purpose of this emergency operation is to enable the anchor to move along the seabed, thereby maximizing resistance to the ship's movement without damaging either the anchor or the ship.

9. The crew performing this operation must always be aware of the availability of other anchors that may be needed.

As with any emergency operation, setting anchors in this situation requires quick action to prevent any imminent danger. The handling of the ship and its anchors varies according to their characteristics, but the above points provide general guidance on the actions required in this situation.