Typical Anchor Handling Operation - Step 2

In the following a typical anchor handling operation will be described step by sted. The procedure described is just one out of many more or less different ways of retreiving an oil rig mooring anchor from the seabed. The oil rig's equipment and / or construction may dictate a different procedure, as may the anchor handling vessel, but the procedure described here is the one I have participated in the most.

Step 1 | Step 2 | Step 3 | Step 4 | Step 5 | Step 6 | Step 7 | Step 8 | Step 9

The supply vessel has now approached the rig and the wire from the tugger winch has been made ready on deck. The ship is equipped with two tugger winches, which are used for handling anchors on deck, retracting chaser wires as in this situation as well as a variety of other purposes. The tugger wire is laid out through the A-guides. The oil rig's crane carries the lose end of the chaser wire and lifts it downwards toward the supply vessel. A messenger wire is attached to the eye of the chaser wire.