Anchoring losses on a negative trend – how to improve?

A joint webinar from DNV, Gard, and The Swedish Club

17 November 2021
Background – Anchor losses/damages

Statistics from last awareness campaign 2016:

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Background – anchor incidents

The trend is increasing, especially the last 3

years. How to explain?

DNV reported incidents

1200
1000
1000

800 714 725 759

679
591
600

400

200 82 81 76 90 98
53
0
2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020

Reported Lost Total reported

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Causes for Lost/Damaged Anchoring equipment

1. In anchorage
• Bad weather, or
• Operational error in anchoring procedure

2. At sea, when chain/anchor is not

properly secured, or the fastenings fail.

3. In connection with emergency anchoring

to avoid grounding & collisions

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Result from Survey

• Did you have damage in the anchor equipment in the last 3 years?
• When are anchors and chain most commonly lost?
a) During normal anchoring operations in port.

b) During anchoring operations in bad weather.

c) During anchoring operations in strong currents.

d) During anchoring operations in deep water.

e) During the voyage, if not properly secured.

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Result from Survey

• Do you believe the Master and Crew are aware of the design limitation in the use of the anchor
with respect to environmental conditions?
a) Yes

b) No

c) Do not know

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Anchoring equipment
Design Limits

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Environmental design limits in Class (IACS) rules

Chain scope 6 - 10

Exceedance of the above limits, increases significantly the risk of dragging

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Response from survey – Design limitations

There is large amount of

uncertainty in the shipping
community regarding the
design limitations in the
anchoring equipment.

There is a lack of reference to

the design limits in the action
plan.

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 Break-down of Incidents Investigation

Hesitation
or
Late
decision

• Late response to heave

the anchor, • Exceedance of
• Forced an error in environmental
anchoring procedure limitations
• Anchor holding
compromised

Anchor
Dragging
or
Loss
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Consequences of anchor equipment loss/damage

Direct consequences:
• Replacement and recovery cost
• Off-hire and service delays

Indirect consequences:
• Grounding, collision, dragging:
• Damage to ship/other ship, subsea
equipment, pipelines, cables etc.
• Pollution

The most serious and high impact cases

occur when a ship’s anchor is dragging or
loses the anchor under bad weather
conditions!

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Response from Survey on Consequences

• Most responses related anchor

damage/loss with operational
issues and replacement cost.

• Surprisingly low is the

perception that exceedance of
design limitations can lead to
anchor dragging and the
potential high impact
consequences

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Case Studies by
GARD/SWEDISH CLUB

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Anchoring equipment
Safe Practise - Key points

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Anchoring – safe practice guide

Be aware of equipment limitations • Environmental & functional

• Define easy-to-understand
Set up action plan
actions based on design limits

• Recognize dangerous situation

State alert
• Be ready to sail away !
Trained crew • Perform under forced situations

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Key take-aways

Many accidents can be prevented:

• Crew competence
Under normal operation:
• Anchoring procedure

• Be on alert!
Under bad weather conditions:
• Follow Action Plan!

Hesitation or late decision can easily lead to

anchor dragging and eventually to
grounding or collision

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 ARE MORE ANCHORS LOST NOW THAN BEFORE?
ANCHOR LOSS AND ANCHOR REMOVAL CLAIMS STATISTICS, 2015 - 2020

Source: Gard claims data

3
 WHICH SEGMENTS ARE LOSING MORE ANCHORS?
ANCHORS LOSS AND ANCHOR REMOVAL CLAIMS STATISTICS, 2015 - 2020

Source: Gard claims data

4
 DOES VESSEL AGE MATTER?
ANCHOR LOSS AND ANCHOR REMOVAL CLAIMS STATISTICS, 2015 - 2020

7 years
13 years
10 & 11 years
5 years

Source: Gard claims data

5
Are anchor losses an early midlife crisis?
 DOES BAD WEATHER MATTER?
ANCHOR LOSS & ANCHOR REMOVAL CLAIMS STATISTICS, 2015 - 2020

Average frequency of time spent in bad

weather during the course of a year

Bad weather defined as A vessel with an anchor claim spent on

Beaufort force 8 – 12 average 18% longer time* in bad weather
than a vessel without an anchor claim

8 Source: Gard claims data & AIS movement and weather data. *Time spent in bad weather during the course of a whole year and not only while at anchorage.
 ANCHOR AWARENESS
RECOMMENDATIONS

Most anchor losses are preventable!

• Know when to leave the anchorage
• Know the limitations of the anchoring equipment
• Knowledge transfer, training and mentoring of crew

Source: www.gard.no/web/content/anchor-loss

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 Lessons learned
• Crew are unaware of the
environmental loads
• If unsure about the anchorage area,
find another anchor position
• Never be at anchor in heavy weather

10 18 november 2021 Webinar on Anchor Losses

 Lessons learned
• Minimize the tension on the chain,
keep the chain vertical
• If anchoring in 100m water, the
anchor should be walked out and
never declutched.

11 18 november 2021 Webinar on Anchor Losses