Complete 9 pages APA formatted article: Anchor and Mooring Systems. Floating platforms and ships tend to drift it their location due to the effect of wind and current. Anchor and mooring systems are u

Complete 9 pages APA formatted article: Anchor and Mooring Systems. Floating platforms and ships tend to drift it their location due to the effect of wind and current. Anchor and mooring systems are used to hold the ships and the floating platforms in position and prevent movements caused by the wind and current. Given most sea vessels and ships are incapable of breaking, only anchorage systems and mooring can be used to slow down and hold the ship into a position to avoid movement (Lekang, 2007).

The unregulated and unwanted movements caused by wind and the current can cause grave consequences and repercussions including damage to property if the ship is not properly anchored or moored. Floating production systems and offshore drilling units located in deep-sea require a high level of anchorage in order to maintain a firm position against the high tides, currents, and wind present at high depths.&nbsp.

Anchor and mooring system consist of the anchor, the mooring line which is used to transmit force from the moored vessel to the anchor, and the tensioning system or the attachment point on the moored vessel or floating work platform. The mooring line can be made from either a chain or wire rope. In some cases, the anchor line is made from the combination of the chain and wire rope with a fiber line or rigid element included. In shallow waters of depth up to 100m, chains are usually preferred for permanent mooring. Steel ropes have a higher elasticity and are preferred at a greater depth than 300m. Synthetic fiber ropes on the other hand are the lightest among the three choices and are used for anchorage in deep waters of up to 2,000m. The anchor usually provides the majority of the holding capacity or the resistance to motion even though the other components of the system are also at play in contributing to the anchorage of the vessel or the floating work platform (Dokkum, 2010). The portion of the anchor buried under the sea has a significant contribution to the whole system especially when a chain is used as an anchor line.&nbsp.