A heavy forging or casting shaped to grip the sea bottom, and by means of a cable or rope, holds a ship or other floating structure in a desired position regardless of wind and current. Different types are in use: stock-anchors, stockless anchors (SPEK or HALL type), High Holding Power (HHP) anchors, Super Holding Power (SHHP) anchors.
Anchoring equipment is designed for temporary mooring a vessel within a harbour or sheltered area when the vessel is awaiting berth, etc. It is assumed that under normal circumstances a ship will use only one bow anchor and chain cable at a time.
- High holding power (HHP) anchor – An anchor is approved as HHP anchor after it has proven, during 3 runs, in 3 soil types and for different weights, that the holding power is at least two time the holding power of a conventional anchor of the same weight. As soon as the predicate “High Holding Power” is obtained a weight reduction of 25% compared to the conventional anchor is allowed.
- Super high holding power anchor (SHHP) – To obtain the predicate SHHP, the anchor must have a holding power of at least four times the holding power of a conventional anchor.