Guidelines For Moorings
Guidelines For Moorings
Guidelines For Moorings
0032/ND
www.gl-nobledenton.com
GUIDELINES FOR MOORINGS
CONTENTS
SECTION PAGE NO.
1 SUMMARY 5
1.1 Scope 5
1.2 Contents 5
2 INTRODUCTION 6
3 DEFINITIONS 7
4 THE APPROVAL PROCESS 10
4.1 General 10
4.2 Scope of work leading to an approval 10
5 CODES AND STANDARDS 11
5.1 General 11
5.2 Offshore moorings 11
5.3 Inshore moorings and quayside moorings 11
6 INFORMATION REQUIRED 13
6.1 General 13
6.2 Operation 13
6.3 Design criteria 13
6.4 Location 13
6.5 Design environmental conditions 13
6.6 Vessel 14
6.7 Mooring system 14
7 DESIGN ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 15
7.1 General 15
7.2 Unrestricted operations 15
7.3 Weather-restricted operations 15
7.4 Use of seasonal / directional Metocean data 16
7.5 Wind 17
7.6 Current 17
7.7 Waves 17
7.8 Tide 17
8 ENVIRONMENTAL LOADS AND MOTIONS 18
8.1 General 18
8.2 Wind loads 18
8.3 Current loads 18
8.4 Wave loads 18
8.5 Wave frequency motions 19
8.6 Low frequency motions 19
9 MOORING ANALYSIS 20
9.1 General 20
9.2 Analysis cases 20
9.3 mooring Line length/tension adjustment 21
9.4 Analysis techniques 21
10 DESIGN AND STRENGTH 23
10.1 General 23
10.2 Redundancy 23
10.3 mooring pattern 23
10.4 Mooring line and connection strength 23
10.5 Anchor capacity 24
11 CLEARANCES 26
11.1 General 26
11.2 Horizontal anchor clearances 27
11.3 Horizontal Wire or Chain clearances 27
11.4 Line vertical clearances 27
11.5 Line-line clearances 28
11.6 Installing Anchors 28
12 MOORING EQUIPMENT 29
12.1 Mooring integrity 29
12.2 Certification 29
12.3 Anchors 29
12.4 Chain 29
12.5 Wire rope 29
12.6 Fibre rope 29
12.7 Connectors 29
12.8 Buoys (surface and subsurface) 30
12.9 Vessel connection points 30
12.10 Fendering 30
13 PROCEDURAL CONSIDERATIONS 32
13.1 General 32
13.2 Anchor proof loading 32
13.3 Manning 32
13.4 Inspection, monitoring and maintenance 32
14 DOCUMENTATION 33
14.1 Leading to approval 33
14.2 Office review 33
14.3 On site 33
15 SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR INSHORE AND QUAYSIDE MOORINGS 34
15.1 Background 34
15.2 Locations within harbour limits 34
15.3 Contingency arrangements 34
15.4 Mooring considerations 34
15.5 Shore mooring points / bollards / winches 35
15.6 Procedures 35
15.7 Cold stacking 35
15.8 Ice loading 35
16 SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS FOR PERMANENT MOORINGS 36
16.1 General 36
REFERENCES 37
TABLES
Table 7-1 Environmental Return Periods 15
Table 7-2 Seastate Reduction Factors for 24 hour Operational Duration 16
Table 9-1 Recommended Analysis Methods and Conditions 20
Table 9-2 Types of Analyses 22
Table 10-1 Line Tension Limits and Design Safety Factors 24
Table 10-2 Drag Anchor Holding Capacity Design Safety Factors 24
Table 10-3 Design Safety Factors for Holding Capacity of Anchor Piles and Suction Piles 24
Table 10-4 Design Safety Factors for Holding Capacity of Gravity and Plate Anchors 25
Table 11-1 Summary of Minimum Mooring Clearances 26
FIGURES
Figure 11.1 Minimum Horizontal Anchor Clearances from Pipelines or Cables 27
PREFACE
This document has been drawn with care to address what are likely to be the main concerns based on the
experience of the GL Noble Denton organisation. This should not, however, be taken to mean that this document
deals comprehensively with all of the concerns which will need to be addressed or even, where a particular matter is
addressed, that this document sets out the definitive view of the organisation for all situations. In using this
document, it should be treated as giving guidelines for sound and prudent practice on which our advice should be
based, but guidelines should be reviewed in each particular case by the responsible person in each project to ensure
that the particular circumstances of that project are addressed in a way which is adequate and appropriate to ensure
that the overall advice given is sound and comprehensive.
Whilst great care and reasonable precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document to ensure that the
content is correct and error free, no responsibility or liability can be accepted by GL Noble Denton for any damage or
loss incurred resulting from the use of the information contained herein.
© 2010 Noble Denton Group Limited, who will allow:
the document to be freely reproduced,
the smallest extract to be a complete page including headers and footers, but smaller extracts may be
reproduced in technical reports and papers, provided their origin is clearly referenced.
1 SUMMARY
1.1 SCOPE
1.1.1 This document describes the guidelines which will be used by GL Noble Denton for the approval of
moorings, including:
a. Offshore catenary or taut leg moorings of mobile offshore units (MOU)
b. Offshore catenary or taut leg mooring of floating offshore installations (FOI)
c. Inshore mooring of MOUs and FOIs, e.g. for stacking
d. Temporary mooring of offshore installations in an afloat condition during construction,
installation or decommissioning
e. Quayside mooring of MOUs and FOIs, e.g. during maintenance or conversion
f. Mooring of vessels during loadouts and installation operations.
1.2 CONTENTS
1.2.1 The following aspects of moorings are described:
a. The approval process
b. Codes and standards
c. Information required
d. Design environmental conditions
e. Environmental loads
f. Motion response
g. Mooring analysis
h. Design and strength
i. Clearances
j. Mooring equipment
k. Procedural considerations
l. Documentation
m. Special considerations for inshore and quayside moorings
n. Special considerations for permanent moorings.
2 INTRODUCTION
2.1 This document describes the guidelines which will be used by GL Noble Denton for the approval of
moorings, including:
a. Offshore catenary or taut leg moorings of mobile offshore units (MOU)
b. Offshore catenary or taut leg mooring of floating offshore installations (FOI)
c. Inshore mooring of MOUs and FOIs, e.g. for stacking
d. Temporary mooring of offshore installations in an afloat condition during construction,
installation or decommissioning
e. Quayside mooring of MOUs and FOIs, e.g. during maintenance or conversion
f. Mooring of vessels during loadouts and installation operations.
2.2 Where GL Noble Denton is acting as a consultant rather than a Warranty Surveyor, these Guidelines
may also be applied as a guide to good practice.
2.3 This document is not intended to apply to “standard”, temporary moorings such as ships in port or
anchored or moored by the bow where the vessels are fully manned, have a full marine watch, live
engines and tugs available.
2.4 This document does not cover all types of mooring and every mooring application. Readers should
therefore satisfy themselves that the Guidelines used are fit for purpose for the actual mooring under
consideration.
2.5 This document refers to recognised standards and design codes and to other GL Noble Denton
Guidelines as appropriate. All current GL Noble Denton Guideline documents can be downloaded
from www.gl-nobledenton.com.
2.6 This document gives guidance on engineering analysis and practical marine considerations, both of
which will form the basis for any approval.
2.7 These Guidelines are intended to lead to an approval by GL Noble Denton. Approval by GL Noble
Denton does not necessarily imply that submitted proposals will comply with the requirements of any
other party or organisation (e.g. as defined by codes, national legislation, guidelines, etc).
2.8 This document is submitted for general guidance and it should be noted that each mooring will differ in
design due to the nature of the moored structure and the particulars of the location. This document
therefore contains general guidance and detailed recommendations that will apply to individual cases.
2.9 These Guidelines are not intended to exclude alternative methods, new technology and new
equipment, provided that an equivalent level of safety can be demonstrated.
3 DEFINITIONS
Referenced definitions are underlined.
Term or Acronym Definition
Approval The act, by the designated GL Noble Denton representative, of issuing a
‘Certificate of Approval’.
ATA Automatic Thruster Assist
Barge A non-propelled vessel commonly used to carry cargo or equipment.
(For the purposes of this document, the term Barge can be considered to
include Vessel or Ship where appropriate).
Benign Area An area that is free from tropical revolving storms and travelling
depressions, (excluding the North Indian Ocean during the Southwest
monsoon season and the South China Sea during the Northeast
monsoon season). The specific extent and seasonal limitations of a
benign area should be agreed with the GL Noble Denton office
concerned.
Certificate of Approval A formal document issued by GL Noble Denton stating that, in its
judgement and opinion, all reasonable checks, preparations and
precautions have been taken to keep risks within acceptable limits, and
an operation may proceed.
Client The company to which GL Noble Denton is contracted to perform marine
warranty or consultancy activities.
Cold Stacking Cold stacking is where the unit is expected to be moored up for a
significant period of time and will have minimum or, in some cases, no
services or personnel available.
DNV Det Norske Veritas
DP Dynamic Positioning
FLS Fatigue Limit State
FOI Floating Offshore Installation
FOS Factor of Safety
GL Noble Denton Any company within the GL Noble Denton Group including any
associated company which carries out the scope of work and issues a
Certificate of Approval, or provides advice, recommendations or designs
as a consultancy service.
HAZID Hazard Identification
Hot Stacking Hot stacking may be defined as mooring the vessel in a manned
functional condition, with the option to run machinery to provide sufficient
power to operate all mooring winches, thrusters, etc as may be required.
IACS International Association of Classification Societies.
Inshore Mooring A mooring operation in relatively sheltered coastal waters, but not at a
quayside.
Insurance Warranty A clause in the insurance policy for a particular venture, requiring the
approval of a marine operation by a specified independent survey house.
Loadout The transfer of a major assembly or a module onto a barge, e.g. by
horizontal movement or by lifting.
4.2.2 Surveys and attendances carried out as part of GL Noble Denton's scope of work typically include:
a. Site survey or examination of the mooring system, confirming that it complies with mooring
design as submitted to GL Noble Denton
b. Review of the certification of all component parts of the system
c. Confirmation of the general condition of the vessel in terms of machinery and manning
d. Inspection and verification of procedures for maintenance and operation of mooring equipment
and actions in an emergency including availability of tugs, etc.
e. Discussions with the local port authority or pilots as appropriate
f. Examination and/or function testing of any key items of equipment, vessels, etc. to be employed
during the installation of the mooring system or in the as installed operational condition
g. Attendance at HAZIDs, risk assessment meetings as required
h. Attendance and witnessing mooring installation activities, including deployment, test tensioning,
etc.
5.3.2 The basic approach to the review and approval of inshore and quayside moorings will be similar to that
for offshore moorings, and the basic design philosophy should be the same although suitably modified
to take account of the key features of these applications. Acceptance criteria (safety factors, etc.)
should be based upon either the codes discussed in Section 5.2 (subject to the limitations stated
therein) or those given in Sections 5.3.4 and 10 of this Guideline.
5.3.3 BS6349-6 “Design of Inshore Moorings and Floating Structures”, Ref. [7], whilst somewhat outdated in
a number of aspects (material selection and analytical techniques being two primary areas) provides
suitable guidance for the assessment of pontoons, floating docks and Admiralty-type buoy moorings. If
used, the general philosophy must be consistent with that laid out in this guideline.
5.3.4 OCIMF, Ref. [11], is considered appropriate for evaluating quayside mooring requirements of marine
vessels such as tankers. It also provides good guidance on the use of quayside moorings and on
design factors of safety for common vessel connections such as bitts, Smit brackets and Panama
chocks.
6 INFORMATION REQUIRED
6.1 GENERAL
6.1.1 This section outlines the information required for the approval of a mooring or for carrying out mooring-
related consultancy work.
6.1.2 Where relevant the approved operations manual should be submitted, for example, where it contains
details of approved wind and current load coefficients, motions response amplitude operators, wave
drift coefficients, etc. The manual is also likely to be relevant where it defines any limitations,
guidelines or performance criteria relating to the active control of winches, windlasses and thrusters.
6.2 OPERATION
6.2.1 Details of the operation to be undertaken should be established, including:
a. Nature of operation
b. Timing, e.g. dates
c. Duration
d. Any operational mooring system performance criteria
e. Whether the mooring system will be active or passive; an active system allows line
tension/length adjustment
f. Manned or unmanned and, if manned, whether on a 24 hour basis.
6.4 LOCATION
6.4.1 All relevant details of the mooring location should be established including
a. Geographical location, e.g. grid coordinates and possible local currents e.g. river outflows
b. Water depth including bathymetry covering the full area of the mooring spread
c. Seabed conditions, e.g. soil type
d. Geotechnical information, e.g. soil properties derived from core samples, if required
e. Details of any existing installations or infrastructure on the surface and subsea, documented by
reliable surveys
f. For inshore or quayside moorings some details of the local topography may be required to help
determine the wind sheltering effects and the wind shear profiles that should be applied
g. Quay wall section drawings detailing water levels and elevation of fendering arrangements
h. Capacity of quayside bollards (see Section 15.5).
6.4.2 Further details of seabed and geotechnical data requirements are given in GL Noble Denton Guideline
0016/ND, Ref [9] “Seabed and Sub-seabed Data Required for Approvals of Mobile Offshore Units
(MOU)”.
6.6 VESSEL
6.6.1 The type and characteristics of the vessel to be moored should be established. The required
information can be broadly categorised as shown below.
6.6.2 Vessel condition:
a. Intended draught(s)
b. Details of loading condition, if required.
6.6.3 Environmental loading and response characteristics (for all relevant draughts):
a. Response Amplitude Operators (RAOs)
b. Quadratic Transfer Functions (QTFs)
c. Wind load coefficients
d. Current load coefficients
e. Displacement and frequency dependent added mass and damping.
6.7.2 If GL Noble Denton is undertaking a mooring analysis, details of any Operator or Drilling Contractor
preferred or standard anchor patterns should be supplied.
7.2.3 For mooring durations greater than 6 months, 100 year return period can be used. Alternatively a
project specific return period environmental return period may be determined to give risk levels
equivalent to those of systems designed to 20 year exposure with 100 year return period.
7.2.4 Joint probability data should only be used when permitted by the referenced standard.
7.2.5 Mobile moorings should generally be designed with reference to a 10 year return period when in the
vicinity of any other infrastructure. Where a mobile mooring is in an open location, with reduced
consequence from mooring failure, a five year return period may be acceptable. Where applicable
seasonal/monthly and/or directional metocean data as in Section 7.4 can be used with the specified
return period.
7.2.6 When evaluating the consequence of failure, consideration should be given to whether risers will be
connected, proximity to other installations and the type of operation being undertaken. For pipe laying
operations, the expected duration of the operation, plus a suitable contingency value should be
addressed.
by the applicable (sometimes called alpha, α) factor from Table 7-2 below. For operations with other
durations alternative factors apply and should be agreed with GL Noble Denton. The forecast wind
and current shall be similarly considered when their effects on the operation or structure are significant.
Table 7-2 Seastate Reduction Factors for 24 hour Operational Duration
Weather Forecast Provision Reduction Factor
No project-specific forecast (in emergencies only) 0.50
One project-specific forecast source 0.65
One project-specific forecast source plus in-field wave monitoring (wave
0.70
rider buoy)
One project-specific forecast source plus in-field wave monitoring and
0.75
offshore meteorologist
7.3.6 In tropical and sub-tropical regions the short term extreme weather conditions are likely to be
associated with the possibility of thunderstorm activity and the squalls associated with the passage of a
storm front. Unless local weather radar is available together with an on site forecaster, it is difficult to
predict the onset and severity of these squalls and even then there can be considerable uncertainty.
Conduct of operations for design conditions below the 10 year seasonal squall may, therefore, be
highly restricted during some seasons.
7.3.7 Planning and design of moorings shall be based on the length of time that the vessel is to be moored.
Short term moorings of less than 72 hours (e.g. during a loadout) may be deemed weather-restricted
operations provided that:
a. Metocean statistics indicate an adequate frequency and duration of the required weather
windows
b. Regular, reliable weather forecasts for the specific location are readily available
c. The start of the operation is governed by an acceptable weather forecast covering the reference
period
d. A documented risk assessment has been carried out and the results accepted by GL Noble
Denton
e. Reference is made to an appropriate code
f. Detailed marine procedures are in place for the operation, including contingency plans in the
event that the weather or the weather forecast deteriorates after the mooring has been
established.
7.3.8 The length of time required to complete an operation is referred to as the reference period. When
calculating the operational reference period, allowance should be made for:
a. The time anticipated, after the decision to commence the operation, for preparing to start or
waiting for appropriate environmental conditions
b. The time anticipated for the operation itself
c. The time anticipated, upon completion, for awaiting correct tidal conditions for departure and for
recovering the mooring spread
d. A contingency period allowing for over-run of the operation
e. The time required for intervention in the event of mooring component or equipment failure.
7.5 WIND
7.5.1 Wind speeds should be referenced at 10m above the still water level.
7.5.2 For permanent moorings the more onerous of the following should be considered:
a. Steady one minute mean velocity; or
b. One hour mean plus a suitable gust spectrum.
7.5.3 Generally the ISO 19901 gust spectrum Ref. [2] would be applicable to 7.5.2b unless an alternative
can be clearly justified.
7.5.4 For mobile moorings either a steady state wind speed or a suitable gust spectrum may be used
depending upon the stiffness of the mooring system. The 10 minute averaged wind speed can be
used to analyse catenary moorings if the effect of wind dynamics on the line tension is shown to be
insignificant.
7.5.5 For inshore or quayside moorings care must be taken to ensure that all natural periods of response of
the system have been considered. Some of the mooring system response periods may be shorter
than one minute but on the other hand the use of shorter gust periods may not represent a sustained
design wind that will act at the same time across the whole of the structure. The representative design
wind sampling period, therefore, has to be carefully established on a case by case basis for inshore
and quayside moorings.
7.6 CURRENT
7.6.1 The design current shall taking account of mean spring tide, the return period storm surge, fluvial
(river) and wind-driven components.
7.7 WAVES
7.7.1 For mobile moorings it is generally acceptable to consider a single extreme significant wave height and
associated zero crossing period corresponding to the relevant return period for a location.
7.7.2 For permanent moorings a number of Hs-Tz combinations along the 100 year return period contour
line have to be considered for the analysis. If a contour plot is not available, a sensitivity study by
varying peak period for the 100 year return period sea state is required. This is to ensure that extreme
line tensions due to low frequency motion at lower periods are captured in the analysis, especially for
ship shaped floaters.
7.8 TIDE
7.8.1 For moorings at locations where the tidal range is greater than 10% of the water depth, the highest and
lowest still water levels at the location for the duration of the mooring should be established and
considered in the analysis of the mooring.
7.8.2 For quayside moorings the effect of tide should always be considered including possible means to
adjust line lengths for locations subject to substantial tidal variations and also to monitor line tensions
with the possible provision of an alarm system (24 hour monitoring required) when tensions approach
pre-specified levels.
8.6.2 Low frequency motions often have a marked influence on mooring line tensions, particularly in deeper
water. Unless it is clearly demonstrated that second order motions are not significant they should
always be considered in any mooring analysis.
9 MOORING ANALYSIS
9.1 GENERAL
9.1.1 This section addresses the calculation of mooring line tensions based on environmental loads
evaluated using the methods described in the preceding section.
9.2.2 In cases where the moored vessel is in close proximity to a structure (other than a quayside) or
specific operational constraints upon the vessel offset exist (e.g. a connected drilling riser), the vessel’s
trajectory immediately following each single point failure should be calculated (transient analysis).
Relevant closest points of approach and maximum offsets of points of interest should be extracted
from the output of the transient analysis.
9.2.3 Full guidance on expected analysis cases is given in Section 6.2 of ISO 19901-7, Ref. [2] and Table 1
therefrom is reproduced below:
Table 9-1 Recommended Analysis Methods and Conditions
Type of Mooring Limit State Conditions to be Analysed Analysis Method
Intact / Redundancy Check Dynamic
ULS
Permanent Transient[1] Quasi-Static or Dynamic
Mooring FLS Intact Dynamic
SLS No guidance given No guidance given
Intact / Redundancy Check Quasi-static or Dynamic
ULS
Transient[1],[2] Quasi-static or Dynamic
Mobile Mooring
FLS Not required Not applicable
SLS No guidance given No guidance given
NOTES
[1] Applicable only if another installation is in proximity to the mooring.
[2] Applicable for MODUs drilling in deepwater where excessive transient motions can cause
stroke-out of the riser slip joint.
9.3.2 Where it is permissible under the selected code and is permitted by the vessel mooring equipment
classification and where a policy of leeward line slackening has been demonstrated to be actively
employed on a vessel, it is considered acceptable to take account of this in a survival analysis,
provided:
a. Line manipulations are only performed in the intact case
b. Due consideration is made regarding to winch/windlass stall limits
c. The adjustments performed are intuitive and with regard to the intact mooring system only (i.e.
not with regard to optimising tension distributions after line failure)
d. The operations are carried out in advance of any worsening weather conditions that have been
forecast. Note location specific forecasts are required.
e. Adequate trained and experienced personnel are available on board (24 hour call off basis) to
carry out mooring line adjustment operations.
9.4.6 Not withstanding any specific code requirements, the types of analysis shown in Table 9-2 are
generally considered suitable:
Table 9-2 Types of Analyses
Dynamic
Type of Analysis Quasi-Static
Frequency Time
Quayside / Inshore
Short Term Offshore Open Location
Short Term Offshore alongside a Fixed
Installation
Short Term Offshore Vessel alongside
a Floating Offshore Installation
Long Term Offshore
9.4.8 If dynamic analysis of line tensions is carried out, any increase in the effective drag diameter of
mooring lines, risers, umbilicals and power cables due to marine growth shall be taken into account.
Guidance on estimating the effect of marine growth can be found in Section 6.7.4 of DNV RP C205,
Ref. [4]
9.4.9 Care should be taken when undertaking mooring analyses of systems with fibre ropes due to their
nonlinear stiffness characteristics. Fibre rope conditioning and fibre rope storm stiffness should be
addressed in the analyses.
9.4.10 Guidance on calculating the design maximum combined low frequency and wave frequency motion of
a moored vessel is given in Section 8.10.2 of ISO 19901-7:2005, Ref. [2].
10.2 REDUNDANCY
10.2.1 The mooring system must have sufficient built in redundancy, such that the failure of any single
component will not result in a loss of ability to maintain station or an infringement of safe clearances
from other structures.
10.2.2 Failure cases should consider the worst potential failure case which may include shore or vessel
connection points.
10.2.3 Mooring systems without single point failure capacity may be found acceptable and approved, provided
that both the following are submitted:
a. Emergency response procedures showing that suitable arrangements are in place, e.g. 24-hour
manning / monitoring, vessel assistance on standby and other practical arrangements to ensure
that any loss of position can be identified and controlled;
b. A risk assessment that has been or can be accepted by GL Noble Denton; this shall include the
effect of losing buoys if these are used.
Note: The approach of simply doubling the safety factor requirements to compensate for lack of
redundancy is not acceptable for systems, including chain and associated connectors, because
mooring failures are not always directly related to a design overload. A case by case review taking into
account the age and condition of all the mooring line components should be carried out.
10.4.4 The above safety factors are applicable to wire, chain and fibre rope mooring lines.
10.4.5 Certification of minimum breaking strength of fibre ropes shall be according to Section 12.6.3. Where
the minimum breaking strength of fibre ropes does not conform to this certification criteria or where
equivalent reliability cannot be established (either on breaking strength or stiffness), the design safety
factors in Table 10-1 shall be doubled.
10.4.6 The safety factors specified in design codes are intended for mooring hardware that is regularly
inspected and maintained. The breaking loads used with these factors should account for any
reduction in the diameter of the mooring lines due to mechanisms including wear and corrosion.
10.4.7 If inspection or maintenance is not proposed an additional agreed allowance shall be made for wear
and corrosion. This also applies to quayside moorings if replacement lines are not readily available in
case of chafing or abrasion damage.
Table 10-3 Design Safety Factors for Holding Capacity of Anchor Piles and Suction Piles
Permanent Moorings Mobile Moorings
Axial Lateral Axial Lateral
Analysis Condition
Loading Loading Loading Loading
Intact Condition 2.00 1.60 1.50 1.20
Redundancy Check 1.50 1.20 1.20 1.00
Table 10-4 Design Safety Factors for Holding Capacity of Gravity and Plate Anchors
Gravity Anchors Plate Anchors
Permanent
Analysis Condition Mobile Moorings Permanent Mobile
Moorings
Moorings Moorings
Axial Lateral Axial Lateral
Intact Condition 2.00 1.60 1.50 1.20 2.00 1.50
Redundancy Check 1.50 1.20 1.20 1.00 1.50 1.20
10.5.3 Anchor forces may be reduced by friction between the grounded portion of the mooring line and the
seabed. Guidance on mooring line seabed friction is given in Annex A.10.4.5 of ISO 19901-7:2005,
Ref. [2]
10.5.4 Anchor holding capacity for mobile moorings may be determined by referring to manufacturer’s
datasheets for the size and type of anchor under consideration taking into account the seabed soil type
determined by location survey findings.
10.5.5 Where seabed conditions are unknown, or of a type not characterised by typical manufacturer data,
anchor capacity should be demonstrated by proof loading; normally, to the maximum intact tension
determined in the mooring analysis.
10.5.6 For permanent moorings and those utilising VLAs (Vertical Load Anchors), e.g. DENLA / StevManta or
pile anchors, detailed soil data and a full geotechnical assessment will generally be required.
10.5.7 It is generally accepted that modern drag embedment anchors (e.g. Stevpris Mk V and Bruce FFTS)
are capable of resisting significant uplift forces. It is considered acceptable that this vertical load
capacity is utilised, provided that the calculation is based on recognised guidelines, e.g. Appendix D of
API RP 2SK 3rd Edition (2005), Ref. [3].
10.5.8 If traditional drag embedment anchors (not specifically designed to resist vertical uplift forces) are
used, it must be shown that sufficient mooring line is deployed to prevent uplift in the intact case. In
the single line failure case it is generally acceptable to have some uplift, provided that the vertical force
at the anchor is much less than the submerged weight of the anchor.
11 CLEARANCES
11.1 GENERAL
11.1.1 The clearances stated below are given as guidelines to good practice. The specific requirements and
clearances should be defined for each project and operation, taking into account particular
circumstances such as:
water depth
proximity of subsea assets
survey accuracy
the station keeping ability of the anchor handling vessel
seabed conditions and slope
estimated anchor drag during embedment
single mooring line failure
the probable weather conditions during anchor installation
11.1.2 Field operators and subsea asset owners may have their own requirements which differ from those
stated below, and should govern if more conservative. Agreement should be obtained from such
operators and/or owners in advance if the moorings will be close to their assets.
11.1.3 If any of the clearances specified below are impractical because of the proposed mooring configuration
or seabed layout a risk assessment shall be carried out to determine the necessary precautions. The
results of the risk assessment shall be agreed with the relevant GL Noble Denton office.
11.1.4 Moorings should be designed and laid in such a way that there is positive clearance with any subsea
asset during installation.
11.1.5 The following Table 11-1 summarises the minimum clearances described in the Sections below. The
minimum clearances are based on the worst intact configuration accounting for external loads.
Table 11-1 Summary of Minimum Mooring Clearances
0032/ND Reference
Condition Minimum Clearance
Section
Allowance for anchor placing inaccuracy 50 m (typical) 11.2.1
Anchor horizontal distance from a subsea asset 100 m 11.2.2
Horizontal distance to pipeline or asset in line of
300 m 11.2.2
anchor drag
Line horizontal to subsea wellhead, manifold or
100 m 11.3.1
other asset
Line/Vessel horizontal to platform* 10 m 11.3.2
Line above pipeline ≥40m WD 10 m 11.4.1
25% WD,
Line above pipeline <40m WD 11.4.1
but not less than 5 m
20 m
Line to line (30 m - if repositioning by 11.5.1
winching)
* This is only for platforms which project above Water Level (WL)
11.4.3 Temporary lay-down of an anchor wire or fibre rope (but not chain) over a pipeline, umbilical, spool or
cable may be acceptable subject to all of the following being submitted to review:
Evidence that there is no other practicable anchor pattern that would avoid the lay-down.
The status of a pipeline or spool (e.g. trenched, live, rock-dumped, on surface) and its contents
(e.g. oil, gas, water) and internal pressure.
Procedures clearly stating the maximum duration that the anchor wire/fibre rope is in contact
with the pipeline, umbilical, spool or cable and the reason for the contact.
Written evidence that the pipeline owner accepts laying down of the anchor wire over their
pipeline, umbilical spool or cable and has contingency measures in place in case of damage
and a possible hydrocarbon leak.
Evidence that the anchor wire will be completely slack i.e. no variation in tension.
Evidence that the seastate during the lay-down will be restricted to an acceptable value.
Documentation demonstrating that the anchor wire or its weight will not overstress or damage
the coating on the pipeline, umbilical, spool or cable.
12 MOORING EQUIPMENT
12.1 MOORING INTEGRITY
12.1.1 Whilst the selection of a mooring system to meet code requirements is imperative to ensure the overall
safety of a moored structure, it should be borne in mind that inappropriate selection of materials
(connections and jewellery, etc) and inadequate inspection and maintenance programmes are likely to
be the primary factors in most failures.
12.1.2 Care shall be taken such that all mooring hardware is used in strict accordance with the manufacturer’s
recommendations and best industry practice.
12.1.3 Experience is required to assess the suitability of a proposed mooring system for a long term
application. Reference should be made to the principal findings from Noble Denton’s Phase 1 and
Phase 2 Mooring Integrity Joint Industry Projects (JIPs). See Refs [12] and [13].
12.2 CERTIFICATION
12.2.1 All components of a mooring system should be certified and their certificates available for inspection by
an attending surveyor.
12.3 ANCHORS
12.3.1 Anchors should be of a type approved by a recognised classification society and suitable for the
seabed composition at the location. In particular, at locations where the seabed is hard, anchors
capable of taking the full load through the fluke tips alone should be used.
12.3.2 Where applicable, anchors should be correctly configured for the seabed composition at the location,
e.g. fluke angle should be set as per manufacturer’s recommendations.
12.4 CHAIN
12.4.1 Mooring chain shall be manufactured in accordance with an appropriate standard for offshore mooring
chain (such as an IACS classification society) and certified by an IACS member or other recognised
certification body accepted by GL Noble Denton.
12.7 CONNECTORS
12.7.1 Mooring chains should be composed of continuous lengths of chain where practicable.
12.7.2 Where it is necessary to use in-line connectors, the mooring pattern should be designed, so as to
ensure that no connecting hardware is subjected to thrashing against the seabed. If this is not
possible this should be risk assessed on a case by case basis and suitable contingency measures put
in place in case of failure at this location.
12.7.3 Only classification society approved Long Term Mooring (LTM) connectors should be used where a
double locking mechanism has been employed to restrain the main load bearing pins of the connector.
12.10 FENDERING
12.10.1 When a vessel is to be moored against another structure such as a quayside, adequate fendering shall
be provided to prevent damage to the vessel and structure.
12.10.2 In cases where fendering must restrain the vessel (e.g. when the vessel is blown on to the quay),
fenders shall be considered to be structural elements of the mooring system and shall be subject to the
same redundancy requirements as mooring lines.
12.10.3 It must be demonstrated that the maximum analysed load upon any fender when multiplied by the
appropriate safety factor (see Table 10-1) does not exceed the static reaction force rating of the
fender.
12.10.4 The pressure exerted by a fender on the hull of the vessel and the quay shall be calculated, and it shall
be demonstrated that this pressure is not in excess of that which the vessel’s structure and the quay
are designed to resist.
12.10.5 The rated energy absorption capacity of the fendering shall be at least twice the energy associated
with the vessel’s peak velocity due to the environment or wake induced motion from passing traffic.
12.10.6 Structural elements of fendering (e.g. pressure membranes) shall be protected (e.g. with sacrificial
elements such as tyres) such that they are not damaged through contact with the vessel or quayside.
12.10.7 Moveable fenders shall be restrained to prevent excessive movement. Restraints shall be designed to
resist a load equal to the maximum analysed load on the fender multiplied by the maximum coefficient
of friction between the fender and vessel.
12.10.8 Particular care should be taken where it is intended to employ a spacer barge as a fender. These
arrangements have historically proven to have high failure potential and should, therefore, always be
the subject of careful design and independent scrutiny.
12.10.9 Fenders should be arranged to avoid the possibility of a vessel “hang up” against the quayside. The
fender arrangement should be subject to a local site inspection. This is particularly relevant for loadout
operations where “hung up” barges may suddenly come free as the load of a module is being
transferred from the quayside to a barge.
13 PROCEDURAL CONSIDERATIONS
13.1 GENERAL
13.1.1 The planning and preparation for mooring a vessel should be carried out sufficiently in advance of the
operation such that the analyses described in this document can be carried out.
13.1.2 Non-standard mooring operations such as quayside moorings of MODUs shall be risk assessed to
confirm that all factors relating to the security of the vessel have been taken into account and that the
level of risk is controlled. The risk assessment shall be submitted for approval by GL Noble Denton.
The risk assessment should also take into account political or crime related security risks associated
with the location.
13.1.3 Prior to designing a mooring spread a mooring analysis needs to be carried out and the factors
detailed in Sections 7, 8 and 9 are to be taken into account.
13.3 MANNING
13.3.1 The level of manning shall be sufficient in terms of numbers, skill competency and experience to
operate all the relevant machinery and to manage the mooring system and emergency systems, on a
twenty-four hour basis, without the need for any personnel to work excessively long hours. The
numbers shall be sufficient to take appropriate action in the case of any emergency to ensure the
safety and security of the crew, the vessel and the location infrastructure (including port facilities,
moored vessels and environmental considerations).
13.3.2 Where appropriate shore-side assistance should be available on a 24-hour basis with direct lines of
communication to the moored vessel.
14 DOCUMENTATION
14.1 LEADING TO APPROVAL
14.1.1 For GL Noble Denton to issue approval, the following documentation must be provided.
14.3 ON SITE
14.3.1 Certification for all mooring components including vessel and shore connection points. These
certificates shall be issued or endorsed by bodies approved by an IACS member or other recognised
certification bodies accepted by GL Noble Denton. If the certification is old, on site inspection by a
competent person should have been carried out to check the present condition of connection points,
etc.
14.3.2 Details of manning and emergency response plan.
15.4.7 Adequate fendering is hard to achieve on larger vessels, semi-submersibles, etc. because the loads
involved can be large. Spacer barges, in particular, have a poor record in operation and proposals to
use spacer barges should always be carefully engineered. If possible, some means of holding the
vessel off the quay as well as the fenders should be provided. Laying offshore anchors on a semi-
submersible moored at the quayside can provide an additional contingency.
15.4.8 Inshore and especially quayside moorings will typically require a careful local study of environmental
design extremes. Usually it is not feasible to design the mooring to resist the omni-directional
extremes so some form of directional metocean study is required. It is rare to have available a full set
of data on current and tides, and it may be necessary to take some local measurements to determine
the actual current at the quayside.
15.4.9 Quayside moorings typically have short natural periods. Therefore the wind and wave excitation
frequencies need to be carefully established.
15.6 PROCEDURES
15.6.1 Procedures should detail and quantify, where applicable,
mooring tension monitoring, inspection, line adjustment and
emergency response arrangements, including spare equipment and availability of tugs and
shore-based manpower as described in Section 15.3.
mooring line tending arrangements to account for predicted variations in tidal height
safe access to vessels accounting for potentially significant tidal variations.
REFERENCES
[1] ISO IS 19901-1: Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries — Specific Requirements for Offshore Structures
— Part 1: Met ocean Design and Operating Conditions.
[2] ISO IS 19901-7: Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries — Specific Requirements for Offshore Structures
— Part 7: Stationkeeping Systems for Floating Offshore Structures and Mobile Offshore Units.
[3] API RP 2SK 3rd Edition (2005): Design and Analysis of Station keeping Systems for Floating Structures.
[4] DNV RP C205 (2007): Environmental Conditions and Environmental Loads. Det Norske Veritas,
[5] DNV OS E301 (2008): Position Mooring. Det Norske Veritas
[6] DNV Rules for Classification of Mobile Offshore Units, Part 6, Chapter 2 (1996): Position Mooring
(POSMOOR).
[7] BS 6349-6 (1989): Maritime Structures — Design of Inshore Moorings and Floating Structures.
[8] GL Noble Denton 0013/ND “Guidelines for Loadouts”
[9] GL Noble Denton 0016/ND “Seabed and Sub-seabed Data Required for Approvals of Mobile Offshore Units
(MOU)”
[10] IMCA M 179 (2005): Guidance on the Use of Cable Laid Slings and Grommets.
[11] OCIMF Mooring Equipment Guidelines, Second Edition 1997
[12] “Floating Production Mooring Integrity JIP – Key Findings” Martin G. Brown, Tony D. Hall, Douglas G. Marr,
Max English and Richard O. Snell, OTC 17499, 2005
[13] “Phase 2 Mooring Integrity JIP – Summary of Findings” Martin G. Brown, Andrew P. Comley, Morten
Eriksen, Ian Williams, Philip Smedley, Subir Bhattacharjee, OTC 20613, 2010