Mooring is one of the important tasks that seafarers must perform on the deck of the ship. Technically, the operation may seem simple, but there are several dangers associated with it. As a seafarer, you must hear about the "death trap" on board and how the crew lost their lives in mooring operations.

Working on the boat is not an easy task. Deck crews must consider various safety precautions and understand the work of deck machinery and systems as well as cargo handling equipment. With regard to mooring operations, additional precautions are needed to ensure the safety of individuals and crew.

The ten points mentioned below must be considered when the ship is parked:

1）. Do not allow any additional flight attendants on the deck: besides the people involved in the operation, make sure there are no additional personnel at the mooring station. Anyone who does not assist in mooring operations must be required to leave the mooring station to protect the safety of others.

2）. Consider the weather conditions: Before planning the parking operation, consider the wind, wind and other factors to consider the weather conditions. Before starting mooring operations, the captain and responsible personnel must have details of current and future weather data.

3）. Understand the rebound zone and rope bends: All personnel involved in mooring operations should be aware of the bounce area and rope bends. Click here to learn more about this.

4）. Check all mooring equipment: Check all equipment (mooring winches, drums, landing gear, etc.) involved in the mooring operation for any problems. Proper routine maintenance is the key to ensuring smooth operation of mooring equipment and systems. Don't forget to check the load cell of the mooring winch.

5）. Check the tail of the mooring line: If the mooring line is equipped with a tail (short length of synthetic fiber rope, it is placed in series with the ship's winch installed line to reduce the mooring line stiffness, thereby reducing the peak line load due to vascular movement The resulting fatigue) ensures that the same size and tail material is used for all lines in the same service (breast, spring and head line). Different tail sizes and materials can result in uneven loading of the mooring system.

6）. Tilt one line at a time: only one line at a time during mooring operations. If you don't do this, you may increase the load on other lines. If the two wires are connected together, it may cause overload and breakage. Obey the captain or the captain's order to avoid any form of accident.

7）. Check the mooring line load: Ensure that the open circuit load allowed in any mooring line does not increase its maximum breaking load (MBL) by 55%. This is to prevent the line from being broken.

8）. Avoid mixing mooring: Mixed mooring is very dangerous. In general, all conductors should use mooring lines of the same size and material. If it is not possible to use mooring lines of the same size and material due to available equipment, all lines in the same service, ie breast line, spring line, The head and stern lines should be the same size and material. Mixed mooring including full length synthetic ropes for use with electrical wires should be avoided. If the synthetic ropes and wires are used for the same service, the wire will carry almost the entire load, while the synthetic rope will be barely carried.

9）. Continuous inspection: After the mooring operation is completed, the load of the mooring system must be continuously checked. If the ship's turnout conditions change, the line must be loosened or tightened accordingly. The condition of the rope material should also be checked to anticipate an unfortunate accident.
 
10）. Arrange the mooring symmetry: all mooring lines must be aligned with the breast line as much as possible. The chest line should be perpendicular to the longitudinal centerline of the ship and the spring line should be parallel to the longitudinal centerline.
The list mentioned above is not an exhaustive list, but covers all the points that must be taken care of during the mooring operation. Do you know other points that must be considered in mooring operations to ensure smooth operation and safety of crew members? Let us know in the comments below.