A vessel was picking up anchor after a stay of four days at anchorage, and the anchor chain was found tangled around the shank. A barge was arranged to cut and clear the cable.
The Nautical Institute gathers reports of maritime accidents and near-misses. It then publishes these so-called Mars (Mariners’ Alerting and Reporting Scheme) Reports (anonymously) to prevent other accidents from happening. This is one of these reports.
The incident cost over USD 100,000, excluding the off-hire costs.
Similarly, a second vessel had its anchor chain tangled while it was picking up anchor with a pilot on board. The ship needed to be diverted to a port for repairs.
Also read: Fouled anchor in a designated anchorage
Advice from The Nautical Institute
- While dropping anchor, ensure the cable is ranged on the seabed while there is sternway to avoid piling up of the anchor cable.
- Anchor swivels should be checked for free movement during maintenance of the windlass and the anchoring equipment.
- Ensure the anchors are well monitored, especially during the turn of tide.
Also read: Broken anchor brake leads to anchoring kerfuffle
Mars Reports
This accident was covered in the Mars Reports, originally published as Mars 202608. A selection of the Mars Reports are also published in the SWZ|Maritime magazine. The Nautical Institute compiles these reports to help prevent maritime accidents. That is why they are also published (in full) on SWZ|Maritime’s website.
More reports are needed to keep the scheme interesting and informative. All reports are read only by the Mars coordinator and are treated in the strictest confidence. To submit a report, please use the Mars report form.
Picture by The Nautical Institute.
Also read: From being anchored to anchorage disaster movie in fifteen minutes
