202608 Anchor troubles

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 incident cost over $100,000, excluding the off-hire costs.

Similarly, a second vessel had her anchor chain tangled while she was picking up anchor with a pilot on board. The ship needed to be diverted to a port for repairs.

Lessons learned:

• 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.