Mooring and anchoring equipment are critical facilities that keep a vessel in position at berths, anchorages, canals, and other situations. The reliability of windlasses, mooring winches, mooring lines, anchor chains, and anchors themselves directly affects berthing and unberthing safety and emergency anchoring capability. Jiangsu Haizhongzhou Shipping Industry Co., Ltd. has developed internal test standards that far exceed regulatory requirements for the installation and commissioning of mooring and anchoring equipment.
The installation and commissioning of windlasses are a priority. Jiangsu Haizhongzhou Shipping Industry Co., Ltd. uses electro‑hydraulic windlasses with a rated pull selected at 2–3 times the vessel’s deadweight tonnage. During installation, the welds of the windlass foundation are required to be 100% ultrasonically tested. Chocks between the foundation and the deck are grouted with epoxy resin, and after curing, the flatness is controlled within 1 mm/m. The clearances of the chain wheel, clutch, and brake band are adjusted according to the manufacturer’s specifications, and the operating force of the manual release device is kept below 150 N, ensuring single‑person operation. The electrical control panel incorporates overload protection, interlock protection, and emergency stop functions.
During commissioning, Jiangsu Haizhongzhou Shipping Industry Co., Ltd. performs no‑load tests and load tests on each windlass. In the no‑load test, the windlass runs forward and reverse for 30 minutes each, with temperature rise, noise, and vibration monitored. In the load test, a hydraulic load cell simulates anchor chain tension. The anchor retrieval speed and the current and hydraulic oil temperature are measured under rated pull and 1.5 times rated pull. The requirement is that the anchor retrieval speed under rated pull is not less than 9 m/min, and that the brake band under 1.5 times rated pull holds static locking with a slippage of not more than 100 mm.
The commissioning of mooring winches is equally rigorous. Large vessels are equipped with 4–6 mooring winches, located at the bow, midship, and stern. Jiangsu Haizhongzhou Shipping Industry Co., Ltd. performs a static pull test on each winch, using a load cell to measure the actual output pull, allowing a deviation of no more than ±3% from the design value. The commissioning of the automatic tension control system is a key focus: when the mooring line tension exceeds the set range, the winch must automatically heave or surge to maintain constant tension, with a response time not exceeding 2 seconds. The interlocking function of the winches is also tested, ensuring that they can be controlled either centrally from the wheelhouse or manually locally.
The installation of the anchor and anchor chain must take into account the shape of the bow and the anchor pocket design. Jiangsu Haizhongzhou Shipping Industry Co., Ltd. uses stockless anchors or AC‑14 high‑holding‑power anchors, with anchor weight determined according to the vessel’s deadweight tonnage. Anchor chain is Grade 3 or Grade 4 high‑strength chain steel, with chain diameter selected according to classification society rules. During installation, the anchor is connected to the anchor chain by a Kenter shackle, and the end of the chain is connected to a chain‑release device. In the chain locker, the chain links are stowed in sequence to avoid tangling. Jiangsu Haizhongzhou Shipping Industry Co., Ltd. numbers, weighs, and marks each length of chain, and cross‑checks it with the chain test certificate.
The integrated system test of the mooring and anchoring equipment is usually carried out before sea trials. An emergency anchoring test is simulated: after pressing the emergency release button on the wheelhouse, the chain‑release device must disconnect within 3 seconds, and the chain must be paid out in a controlled manner. A towing test is also simulated: a towing point is provided at the stern, and the reliability of the towing hook release and reset device is verified. All test data are recorded and attached as part of the delivery documentation.
The commissioning acceptance rate for mooring and anchoring equipment at Jiangsu Haizhongzhou Shipping Industry Co., Ltd. has remained 100% for three consecutive years, with no berthing safety incidents caused by equipment failure. It is these seemingly modest “steel arms and claws” that enable a ship to lie safely at any port in the world.