Fairleads, Chocks, Bitts, Bollards, Bilge And Dolphins

Fairleads, Chocks, Bitts, Bollards, Bilge And Dolphins

Fairleads, Chocks, Bitts, Bollards, Dolphins etc., are commonly used ship terms in mooring operations of vessels .

Fairleads are welded directly onto the ship’s hull structure . Fairleads have a roller attached to them to guide mooring wires to winches for the correct lead. Pedestal Fairleads are commonly found on modern-day ships to guide mooring lines between the chock and the winch. Universal Fairleads have widely used ships earlier in lieu of chocks.

Chocks are structural reinforcements on ships which guide the mooring lines to and from the shore / other vessels. Chocks need to be much higher SWL than the mooring line to avoid structural damage and withstand various forces when a vessel is moored.

Bollards: are generally referred to as short posts on the quay/jetty used to secure Ship’s Mooring Lines. A single bitt on ships may also be referred to as a bollard around which the eye of the rope is attached. Oil Tankers have special bollards in the various areas called cruciform bollards, which are used for securing/supporting flexible hoses for cargo operations.

Bitts  : are double bollards/posts mounted vertically on ships to secure mooring lines from other vessels (during STS operations ), tug lines or secure Fire Wires on Tankers. Bitts are always found in pairs. It is important to inform the pilot or tug operator of the SWL of the bitts to ensure that the tug does not exceed this force when pulling the vessel.

Dolphins: They are found only ashore. These are independent platforms on the jetty with hooks or bollards for securing the ship’s mooring lines.

Bilge: The lowest compartment of a ship or boat is called the bilge.

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