ANCHORING OPERATION

When a ship is going to berth or not going to come alongside a pier for loading or
discharging for some prpose, she will anchor in harbor water where work would
be done. Sometimes when waiting for a berth alongside or the pilot, she usually
anhors while waiting. The place where to drop the anchor should be marked on
the chart. Duty officers on achor watch should know how to detect if the ship is
dragging anchor and what measures to be taken in the event that the ship drags
the anchor.
Order and Answer back while anchoring
Master gives an order from the bridge and chief officer at forecastle repeats
back.
Order
1. Stand by port or stbd anchor

2. Let go the anchor

3. (after dropping an anchor) Report
anchor chain condition

4. Hold on chain (at five shackles)

5. To check Brought up of an anchor

Answer back
1. (Repeat) Stand by port or stbd
anchor. (When its ready) Stand
by port or stbd anchor, sir!!
2. (Repeat) Let go, sir!! (and
drop anchor right away)
3. When an anchor is dropped, report
chain condition often. No. Of shackle /
chain direction / tension) ex. 3shackles
on deck / chain direction 11 oclock /
tension weak, normal strong, etc.
4. (Repeat) Hold on chain (at five
shackles)
(when anchor holds, say) Hold on, sir!!
5. When anchor is properly dropped,
there would be strong tesion applied on
anchor chain when astern engine is
used. If Chief Officer sees this condition
say, Brought up anchor, sir!!

Preparation and weight up of anchor

a. windlass usually heaves up around 9meters of cable in one minute. So it
usually takes around 3minutes to heave up 1shackle.
b. c/o should check the working condition of an anchor and inform bridge to turn
on G.S Pump to clean mud stuck on anchor chain
c. Turn the windlass gear around, release friction brake band and get ready for
heaving up anchor. After this, take out stopper and starting heaving up the chain.
Order and answer back while heaving up anchor

order
1. Stand-by heave up port or stbd
anchor
2. Heave up anchor

3. Up and down anchor

4. Anchor away

5. clear anchor
6. up anchor

Answer back
1. (repeat) stand by heave up port
anchor (and when it is ready, say)
Stand by, sir!!
2. (Repeat) Heave up anchor (and
when heaving up anchor, say) Heave
up anchor, sir!!
3. When the cable is leading vertically
to the water. When anchor is a weigh
(not holding and up from bottom), the
cable will be up and down
4. When anchor crown is lifted up from
seabed, chief officer reports anchor
away when there is no movement of
anchor chain when it is being heave up
5. when anchor if out of the water
6. when heaving up the anchor is
complete