Unmooring of alongside vessels with single-screw clockwise vessel

Α) Alongside to the starboard

The cable is loosened and only the fore SPRING until the fore cable is left. The ‘Slow Ahead’ movement is executed an the SPRING is turned to the towards the fore until the stern has been sufficiently deflected from the pier, given that the impact of the propeller’s current during the astern movement tends to push the stern towards the left and thereby the danger that the bow may dragged to the pier may appear.

When the stern is sufficiently deflected from the pier the cables are loosened and the movement ‘astern’ is executed. During this maneuver the SPRING must be used cautiously, because of the great pressure that can chop it. Thereby, the maneuver can be supported by using a fore cable which is dragged slowly so as to diminish the pressure that is applied on the SPRING, while at the same time the turn of the bow towards the pier is supported.

B) Alongside to the port side

The cables are loosened and only the fore SPRING remains. The rudder is positioned on the port side and the movement ‘slow ahead’ is executed. Thereby, the stern is deflected supported by the fore SPRING.

When the stern opens sufficiently, so as to counterbalance the left (towards the pier) pressure of the stern, when the ‘astern’ movement is executed, the fore SPRING is loosened and having the rudder to the starboard the movement ‘astern’ is executed and the vessel draws away from the pier.

C) Unmooring of an alongside Twin- Screw Vessel.

When the ship deflects from the pier it is preferable that the stern is firstly deflected. For this purpose, the vessel stays to the fore SPRING and the fore cable and the movement ‘slow ahead’ of the external engine is executed. At the other instant, the movement ‘astern’ is executed with the internal engine. Thus, the pressure of the fore SPRING is not excessive. The turn can be supported by positioning the rudder to the side. When the stern is sufficiently deflected, the movement of the port engine is reversed, the cables are loosened and the movement ‘slow astern’ is executed with the external propeller while the ‘astern’ movement continues in the internal propeller. I this way the vessel deflects from the pier.