In most mooring operations, the first lines are required to get and hold the vessel in position until the remaining mooring lines are sent ashore and vessel is safely moored. This could lead to the first lines, usually the fore and aft spring lines, experiencing significant loads. Without any load or tension indicators the crew operating the winch may not come to know if the line has been tensioned beyond its breaking load. This makes the first lines highly susceptible to part and snap back causing a tragic incident.
While the bridge team would focus on positioning of the vessel, it is the responsibility of the mooring crew to fully understand the associated risks and communicate these back to the bridge team. The safety of the mooring operations rests predominantly with the mooring crew and how well all the risks are communicated and understood within the team and with the bridge team.
Source:
Gard
The opinions expressed herein are the author's and not necessarily those of The Xinde Marine News.
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