UNIT 2
Anchoring, Berthing, Leaving Berth and Underway
Objectives of Unit 2
2.1 Anchoring
2.2 Berthing
2.3 Leaving berth
2.4 Underway
Self-assessment test
Progress test
Answers to self-assessment test
Bibliography / Webography
OBJECTIVES OF UNIT 2
The main objectives are:
understand the differences in ship operation
identify types of ships
classify ships according to their use
use adverbs instead of pronouns in relative clauses
2.1 Anchoring
When the vessel is approaching the anchorage or her designated berth, the anchor gear has
been thoroughly checked and prepared: windlass and hinging parts have been greased,
bandbrakes tested, hawse pipe-closing plates removed, etc.
In order to avoid any unexpected situations, it is customary to prepare both starboard and port
anchors for letting go.
Bad holding ground, such as sand and shells, will cause the anchor to drag.
Therefore information about holding ground must be looked up in the pilot book or chart
prior to letting go anchors.
When a river berth has been allocated by the VTS Station or port authority, it will sometimes
be necessary to “dredge anchor” in order to make sharp turn towards the embankment.
The length of chain that is put out is indicated by the number of shackles (1 shackle equals 15
fathoms). Safe anchoring implies
that a length of chain equal to the
depth of water plus two shackles
must be used.
More shackles must be put in the
water:
- when the water is very deep
(more than 25 fathoms)
-in adverse weather
- when barges are passing close to
the vessel
-when the anchor chain has a low
tensile strength
-when the anchor chain is leading
ahead
-when the vessel is in ballasted condition.
When the anchor is holding, the anchor lights must be switched on and the anchor ball is
hoisted. The anchor position must be checked by bearings at regular intervals.
2.2 Berthing (without tug assistance or thrusters)
When the vessel approaches her designated berth at minimum steerageway, the approach to
the quay is made at the smallest possible angle.
With a heaving line the hawser is pulled from the vessel onto the embankment by line-
handlers.
The spring is fastened to a bollard, and while the engine is on half astern, the warping drum
picks up the slack (that is: pulls the line tight). To prevent the line from being fouled,
the hawser or spring is led through a fairlead.
The ship is then maneuvered along the embankment and fastened to bollards by headlines,
stern lines, breast lines and springs.
2.3 Leaving Berth
When leaving berth, casting off orders, engine room orders and helm orders are given by the
pilot or the master. After having started the engine, the first order is: "Stand by for
letting go!". When a line is cast off, the first order must always be: "Slack away', so
that it will become possible to handle the hawser. The next casting off order will
then be: "Heave away', which means that the line can be pulled aboard.
The sequence of casting off orders that can then be given depends on how the vessel has
been berthed, and on the prevailing weather condition and currents.
Example of casting off-sequence
1) „Single up fore and
aft”!!
2) “Let go everything fore!
Slack away headline/fore spring!
Heave away headline / forespring!”
3) „Let go aft spring and
breastline!
Slack away aft spring / breastline!
Heave away aft spring / breastline!”
4) „Let go sternline!
Slack away sternline!
Heave away stern line!”
….. “Propeller clear!” followed by the helm order
“Starboard fifteen!” and the engine room order
“Dead slow ahead!”
Completion of the vessel’s berthing or unberthing procedures is indicated by the phrase:
“Finished with maneuvering station”.
2.4 Underway
All the helm orders that will follow after the vessel has departed and is underway are given to
the man-at-the-wheel (helmsman). He must repeat these helm orders before he will actually
execute them.
The helm order "Ease her” is given to reduce the amount of rudder and hold.
The helm order "Steady” is used to reduce the swing of the vessel by giving "counter-rudder"
when she is making an alteration of course.
The helm order "Meet her” is used to stop the swing of the vessel's head in a turn.
The order "Steady as she goes” is given when at that moment the intended course to steer is
straight ahead (for example 186 degrees).
The helmsman must report to the conning officer when the vessel is actually on this course by
saying: "steady on course 186 degrees".
The conning officer (OOW) must then repeat the helmsman's reply ("steady on course 186
degrees”).
Engine room orders, too, must be repeated by the person operating the bridge telegraph before they
are executed.
The OOW should ensure that the orders are carried out correctly and promptly.
The engine room orders are: Dead slow -, slow -, half -, full-, stop (-ahead or -astern).
When the vessel is fitted with twin propellers, the word "both" must be added. ("dead slow ahead
both·, "slow ahead both", "half ahead both", "full ahead both”).
For bow-or stern thrusters the orders are:
"bow thruster full / half to port/starboard";
"stern thruster full / half to port/starboard".
When operation of the engine is no longer required, the phrase “finished with engines-no more
maneuvering” is used.
Anchoring, berthing, leaving berth and underway: tasks
1) Idioms
The italicized words in the text are given below in alphabetical order. Find out what
they mean as they apear in the text and learn them by heart.
adverse weather dredging anchor heaving line slack away
allocate embankment helm orders slack
anchor gear engineroom orders hinging part steady
approach equal hoist steady as she goes
avoid equipped with holding ground steerage way
bandbrake execute imply Stern line
barge fairlead indicate stocked anchor
berth fasten nut stockless anchor
bollard fluke prepare strengthening
bower anchor fore-to-aft spring prevail stud-link
breastline forelock prior to tensile strength
cast off fouled puddening tight
crown grease quay vulnerable
current hawse pipe seabed warping drum
dead slow hawser shackle wharf
designated berth headline shank windlass
dragging heave way single up
Notes:
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………..
2) Anchoring: matching
Study the text (“Anchoring”) and then indicate whether the Fill in :
following examples of “good seamanship” are appropriate appr. /
(appr.) or not appropriate (not appr.) for the situation. not appr.
1) Look up holding-ground information when the vessel is underway
to her anchorage or designated berth.
2) Check windlass because vessel is in ballasted condition __________
3) Put more length of chain in water because tide is rising
4) Check windlass when the vessel is underway to her anchorage or __________
designated berth
__________
5) Put more length of chain in water when chain is leading ahead.
6) Test bandbrake because chain is leading ahead. __________
7) Remove hawse-pipe closing plate when weather conditions are
__________
deteriorating
8) Remove hawse-pipe closing plate when the vessel is underway __________
to her anchorage or designated berth
9) Put more length of chain in water because weather conditions are __________
deteriorating.
__________
__________
__________
__________
Practice 1
Sequence of casting off: E - D - C - B - A
E _____________________________________________________________
D _____________________________________________________________
C _____________________________________________________________
B _____________________________________________________________
A _____________________________________________________________
Practice 2
Sequence of casting off: B-D-A-C-E
B _____________________________________________________________
D _____________________________________________________________
A _____________________________________________________________
C _____________________________________________________________
E _____________________________________________________________
3) Leaving berth and underway
Indicate by means of numbers 1-30 the sequence of standard orders when the vessel is
leaving berth and underway.
Standard casting-off orders, engineroom-orders and helm orders
14-“Half ahead; steady as she goes!” 27-“Let go sternlines!”
15-“Slack away sternlines!” 28-“Heave away fore spring!”
16-“Heave away headline!” 29-“Slack away headlines!”
17-“Let go aft spring!” 30-“Let go sternline!”
18-“Slack away sternline!”
19-“Let go headlines!”
20-“Stand by for letting go!”
21-“Single up aft!”
22-“Slack away forespring!”
23-“Let go headline!”
24-“Heave away breastline!”
25-“Starboard 15; dead slow ahead!”
26-“Single up fore!”
1 - “Slack away headline!”
2 - “Heave away sternlines!”
3 - “Slack away aft spring!”
4 - “Let go breastline!”
5 - “Full ahead!”
6 - “Midships, slow ahead!”
7 - “Stand by engines - start engines!”
8 - “Heave away headlines!”
9 - “Let go fore spring!”
10 - “Heave away aft spring!”
11 - “Slack away breastline!”
12 - “Propeller clear!”
13 - “Heave away sternlines!”
Sequence of casting off:
Single up foreward/single up aft/fore spring/aft spring/headline/breastline/sternline/
underway.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Self-assessment Test
Are the statements correct or not?
1) Look up holding-ground information when strength of
chain is not according to recommendations.
2) Look up holding-ground information because traffic is
very busy.
3) Grease anchor-gear hinging parts because chain is leading ahead.
4) Put more length of chain in water because traffic is very
busy
5) Prepare both anchors when the vessel is in ballasted condition.
Progress test
Study the text on “Leaving berth”, then write down in full
the orders that match with the sequence of casting off.
(The vessel has already been singled up fore and aft; the
engineroom-order “Start engine” has been given; the
casting-off “Stand by for letting go” has been given).
Answers to self-assessment test
Are the statements correct or not?
1) Look up holding-ground information when strength of
chain is not according to recommendations. (y)
2) Look up holding-ground information because traffic is
very busy. (n)
3) Grease anchor-gear hinging parts because chain is leading
ahead.(n)
4) Put more length of chain in water because traffic is very
Busy (n)
5) Prepare both anchors when the vessel is in ballasted
condition. (y)
Bibliography / Webography
1. Georgescu, M. , Maritime English, Students’ Coursebook, 3rd year,
1st term (on [Link])
2. Georgescu, M., Outboard Communication, (2010), Nautica Press,
Constanţa, ISBN 978-606-8105-13-0
3. Chirea-Ungureanu, C. English Grammar in Use-Exercises and
Quizzes, (2010), Editura Nautica, ISBN 978-606-8105-14-7
4. Chirea-Ungureanu, C. Developing English Communication and
Understandimg Skills on Board Ship, (2013), Editura Crizon,
Constanta, ISBN 978-606-8476-09-4
5. Van Kluijven, P.C. – The International Maritime Language
Programme, Alk & Heijnen Publishers, Alkmaar, 2005.
6. Logie, Vivers, Nisbet, Marlins Study Pack 2 (book and two audio
cassettes). Edinburgh, Marlins, 1998 (ISBN 09531748 1 6)
7. Murphy, R. Essential Grammar In Use. 1st ed. Cambridge,
Cambridge University Press, 1990 (ISBN 0 521 35770 5)
