COURSE OVERVIEW:

Anchoring Operations: Planning and Safe Execution is a specialized operational program designed to ensure the safety of vessels, crews, and the environment during anchoring maneuvers. This course provides a technical breakdown of the equipment and procedures required for effective anchoring in various sea states and bottom conditions. Participants will examine the mechanics of how an anchor holds, focusing on the relationship between anchor weight, chain length (catenary), and the holding power of different seabed types.

The scope of this training involves a rigorous approach to voyage planning that includes the selection of safe anchorage areas. Attendees will learn to interpret nautical charts for depth, seabed composition, and proximity to underwater infrastructure such as pipelines and cables. The course details the communication protocols between the bridge and the forecastle, ensuring that the anchor is dropped and weighed with precision to avoid damage to the windlass or loss of the ground tackle.

Coverage includes the management of anchoring in challenging conditions, such as high winds, strong currents, and crowded anchorages. Participants will examine the procedures for "dragging anchor" detection and the emergency actions required to prevent collisions or groundings. By integrating seamanship skills with technical knowledge of the windlass and chain systems, this course equips deck officers and crew with the expertise to execute anchoring operations with the highest degree of safety and operational discipline.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

After completion of this course, the participants will be able to:

1. Explain the physics of anchoring and the "Catenary" effect.
2. Identify the components and working limits of the Windlass and Chain.
3. Select appropriate anchorage sites based on chart data and weather.
4. Calculate the required amount of chain (Scope) for various depths.
5. Execute safe communication between the Bridge and Forecastle.
6. Identify different types of anchors and their holding characteristics.
7. Perform the "Letting Go" and "Heaving In" procedures safely.
8. Monitor vessel position and detect "Dragging Anchor" early.
9. Manage anchoring in heavy weather and high-current environments.
10. Execute emergency anchoring procedures to prevent accidents.
11. Inspect and maintain anchoring equipment for operational readiness.
12. Identify hazards related to underwater cables and pipelines.
13. Conduct a post-anchoring review to improve operational performance.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

Deck Officers, Masters, Bosuns, Able Seamen, and Marine Superintendents.

TRAINING COURSE METHODOLOGY:

A highly interactive combination of lectures, discussion sessions, and case studies will be employed to maximise the transfer of information, knowledge, and experience. The course will be intensive, practical, and highly interactive. The sessions will start by raising the most relevant questions and motivating everybody to find the right answers. The attendants will also be encouraged to raise more of their questions and to share in developing the right answers using their analysis and experience. There will also be some indoor experiential activities to enhance the learning experience. Course material will be provided in PowerPoint, with necessary animations, learning videos, and general discussions.

The course participants shall be evaluated before, during, and at the end of the course.

COURSE CERTIFICATE:

National Consultant Centre for Training LLC (NCC) will issue an Attendance Certificate to all participants completing a minimum of 80% of the total attendance time requirement.