Typical Anchor Handling Operation - Step 6

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

After opening the shark jaw the work wire with attached chaser wire is payed out according to the local water depth. Meanwhile the supply vessel starts moving ahead dragging the chaser ring along the anchor chain. This is done at low speed, 1 or 2 knots. The charterer has equipped the supply vessel with a navigational system showing the location of the mooring anchors and anchor chains on a screen. The ship's own position is also plotted on the screen, helping the officers on board the vessel to know when to expect being at the location of the anchor etc. This navigational equipment communicates with equal computer systems on board the oil rig so that also the rig can "see" where the supply vessels are in relation to the moorings.