BASIC INTRODUCTION TO MOORING

WINCHES
Mooring winches secure the shipboard end of mooring lines, provide for adjustment of the

mooring line length and compensate for changes in draft and tide. General requirements for

shipboard mooring winches are dealt within` ISO Standards 3730 and 7825`.

Winches can be categorized by their control type (automatic or manual tensioning), drive type

(steam, hydraulic or electric), by the number of drums associated with each drive, by the type of

drums (split, undivided) and by their brake type and brake application (band, disc, mechanical

screw, spring applied).

- Automatic tension mooring winch (self-tension winch) – Winches designed to

heave-in automatically whenever the line tension falls below a certain pre-set value. Likewise,

they pay out if the line tension exceeds a pre-set value. The use of the self-tension winches is not

recommended except for mooring deployed at 90° to the ship axis.

- Manual tension mooring winch  – Manual winch always requires a person to handle the

controls for heaving or rendering.

- Non-split drum mooring winch  – The undivided drum winches are commonly found

on smaller ships. It is often difficult to spool and stow the wire on such a drum satisfactorily;

when wires are handled directly off the drum, the final turns of the outer layer when under

tension tend to bite into the lower layer. This could result in possible wire damage and

difficulties when releasing the line. To reduce this problem, the winch with non-split drum

should be placed at a sufficient distance from the fairlead to ensure that the wire can be properly

spooled.
- Split drum mooring winch  – A winch with a drum divided by a notched flange into a
tension section and a line storage section.
Basic Operation of Self Tensioning Mooring Winch
Many vessels are fitted with self-tensioning winches, so crewmembers do not need to have to
spend long periods checking mooring lines. These winches can be pre-set to pay out a mooring
line when the line’s tension starts to exceed its setting, or to heave in the line if it slackens below
that setting.

The use of self-tensioning winches can, however, cause a problem with safety. This is because
the winch’s limit is its render load, which is smaller than what can be held on the brake. If a
vessel is moored alongside a quay and its spring line winches are set to automatically self-
tension, it is possible for them to be activated by the movement caused by wind or currents. As
each winch automatically either pays out or takes in as the vessel see-saws, bit by bit the ship can
pull itself along the quay, possibly moving it out of position away from loading arms and
perhaps breaking hoses connected to the vessel.

Such movement can be checked by also using mooring lines secured to bollards or to braked
winches. If possible, regularly inspect a mooring system which is using tension winches while
the vessel is at its berth.

Render & Heave –

Whether electric or hydraulic, all mooring winches are affected to some extent by a feature
known as their ‘render-to-heave ratio’.

‘Render’ is the amount of force needed to turn a winch which is set to heave, to pull in its line,
when power is applied. The render value of a winch is always constant. When the winch is
working to heave in a line attached to a load, ‘heave’ refers to the maximum load weight which
that level of ‘render’ power going into the winch can safely handle.

A winch’s ‘heave’ power will always be less than its ‘render’ power. This is because there is a
loss of pulling power which is used by running the winch.

It is also useful to understand that it will be impossible and dangerous, to try to heave in a load
once a winch has reached its maximum render power. Remember that a winch brake’s holding
power is always greater than its heaving power and so if the brake starts to render, or slip, it will
be impossible for the winch to heave in unless whatever is causing the slippage, whether
excessive load or some sort of obstruction, is reduced.
MOORING OPERATION BASIC
PROCEDURE
The deck crew should be called to their stations well enough in advance of arrival at the dock to
complete all mooring preparations. This is particularly important where the timing of the arrival
or weather has prevented them from preparing mooring equipment during the previous workday.

If the master and officers are unfamiliar with the berth, the pilot should be consulted regarding
the anticipated mooring operation. A diagram showing the vessel's mooring winches and
capstans should be used to sketch the dock mooring arrangements and indicate the running of
mooring lines. A copy of this diagram should be supplied to each officer who will be involved in
the mooring operation. The pilot must be informed of any deficiencies in the vessel's mooring
equipment. Adequate personnel must be provided to ensure the efficient handling of lines.

The mooring plan developed by the master and pilot must be sufficient to address the minimum
requirements of the petroleum terminal, owner's requirements, anticipated weather, passing
traffic and stresses of tidal currents. The mooring plan agreed should be in accord with the
OCIMF Guidelines and recommendations for the safe mooring of large ships at piers and sea
islands. The preferred mooring plan provides for long mooring leads to mooring points level
with the mid-draft height of the mooring deck and includes two or three substantial breast lines at
bow and stern.

Each deck officer should carefully examine the mooring equipment before it is put into use. Any
damaged mooring wires, rope tails or fiber lines should be put aside. The condition of the winch
brakes should be examined and the officer should note any defects in his deck book for the
information of the chief officer.

Where fiber lines are used, they should be all of the same material and construction to provide
even stress and elongation.

Most large tankers are fitted with wire mooring lines on self-stowing winch drums. These lines
are heavy and can be dangerous to shore and ship mooring crews if not properly handled. A clear
set of hand signals must be agreed between the officer and his crew so that the winches can be
operated safely without the use of voice commands. Long leads are preferred for these mooring
lines, both to reduce the amount of line tending required and because the holding power of the
brakes is inversely related to the amount of wire on the winch drum (ie. more wire on the drum
equals less brake holding power).
Mooring lines should not be heaved tight until all members of the shore crew have moved clear
of the line and the mooring point. When the line is tight, the brake should be set to the approved
tension and the tension gauge (if fitted), observed after setting to ensure that there is no loss of
brake pressure.

Self tensioning winches should not be used in the automatic mode after vessel is all fast, as they
may not perform properly to keep the ship securely alongside.

The vessel is considered properly moored when the manifold is aligned with the shore loading
system and the parallel mid-body of the ship is firmly in contact with the fender face of the berth
over the maximum length possible. The most effective method for preventing the ship from
moving along the dock is to maintain it tight against the fenders using the breast lines and spring
lines. Head and stern lines are relatively inefficient in mooring vessels when compared to breast
and spring lines.

Emergency release
During the mooring operation, the master should evaluate the procedures he would use to
complete an emergency departure from the berth. After mooring is complete, this procedure
should be discussed with the shore terminal operator to determine if there is an recommended
terminal emergency disconnect procedure. When the master has developed a procedure to his
own satisfaction he should discuss it with the chief officer and direct that it be included in the
chief officer's cargo orders.

Part of the emergency release preparation is proper placement of the towing off wires, or 'fire'
wires. These should be positioned at the offshore bow and offshore quarter. The wire should be
properly made fast on a set of bitts in a figure-of-eight fashion. The inboard eye should not be
placed over the bitt. The remainder of the wire should be laid out on deck in one or two bights,
free for running, with the outboard eye through a side chock and suspended at the water's edge
by a lashing of rope yarn or light line which the tug can easily break to pay out the slack. The
towing off wires must be tended each time the mooring lines are adjusted so that the eye is
maintained at or near the surface of the water.

Anchor and gangway

If the anchor has been backed out ready for letting go while approaching the berth and mooring,
it should be brought home and secured after the ship is all fast. Heaving lines and messenger
lines should be retrieved and properly stowed. Where the vessel is moored with fibre lines,
stoppers should be placed at each set of mooring bitts in use.
When the mooring operation is complete, the ship's mooring crew will prepare and swing out the
ship's gangway, unless a better shore gangway is available from the terminal. The gangway must
be landed in an area on the dock which provides adequate space for movement of the shore end
due to changes in tide and vessel freeboard. It must be properly secured at the ship end, fitted
with adequate hand rails and a safety netting and marked with a sign reading:

WARNING

- No visitors
- No smoking
- No open lights

If the gangway is aluminum, it should not be permitted to rest with the aluminum framing
directly in contact with ship's steel hand rails.