Anchoring equipment, also known as mooring equipment, is a general term for ship anchors, anchor chains, anchor winches, and their auxiliary equipment. It is mainly used for ship mooring, maneuvering, and emergency response. Its components include anchor chain canisters, chain stoppers, anchor chain tubes, and anchor chain lockers. The anchor secures the hull through its holding force, the anchor chain transmits the force, and the chain stopper secures the anchor chain and reduces the load on the anchor winch. Structurally, it can be divided into ordinary mast anchors, mastless anchors, high-holding-force anchors, and special anchors. Among these, mastless anchors such as Hall anchors and Spek anchors are often used at the bow due to their ease of storage.
Anchoring equipment features a high holding-to-weight ratio and strong anchoring ability, making it suitable for scenarios such as sheltered anchoring, turning in narrow waterways, and emergency response to grounding. Anchor chains are divided into those with and without retaining links, and materials include cast steel anchor chains and welded anchor chains. Special links include connecting shackles and anchor chain swivels. According to the requirements of the Maritime Safety Administration of the Ministry of Transport, domestic seagoing vessels must regularly inspect the wear of their anchor chains and the condition of their anchor winches, and comply with the construction specifications of the China Classification Society. From March 11, 2025, for newly built vessels, including crane vessels, piling vessels, and other engineering vessels, wire ropes must not be used in place of the bow anchor chain; anchor chains that meet specifications must be used. As a core piece of equipment, the anchor winch requires routine maintenance of its brake bands, clutches, and control components to prevent electrical faults from preventing the anchor chain from being retrieved or deployed. During inspections, common defects include corrosion of the winch base and non-compliant chain release devices.
