Document Code SO-01
STS Operation Management Revision Number 00
Effective Date 03/15/2023
Authorize
Rev. Author(s) Approver
Revision Date Change
No. Title of Deps. Title
00 HSSEQ Dept. Fleet Director 03/15/2023 Initial
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Document Code SO-01
STS Operation Management Revision Number 00
Effective Date 03/15/2023
Table of Contents
I. Purpose .................................................................................................................................3
II. Scope ....................................................................................................................................3
III. Definitions and Acronyms ......................................................................................................3
IV. Responsibilities and Authorities .............................................................................................3
Main Responsibility............................................................................................................................3
1.1 General .................................................................................................................................... 4
1.2 Operation................................................................................................................................. 4
2.1 Equipment ............................................................................................................................... 6
2.2 Operation.................................................................................................................................. 6
3.1 Conventional or Multi-buoy Moorings (CBM or MBM) ............................................................ 9
3.1.1 Equipment ................................................................................................................................. 9
3.1.2 Operation................................................................................................................................... 9
3.2 FPSO and FSU........................................................................................................................10
4.1 Mooring .................................................................................................................................11
4.1.1 Safety .......................................................................................................................................11
4.1.2 Mooring Ropes ........................................................................................................................12
4.1.3 Rope stoppers..........................................................................................................................13
4.1.4 Chain stoppers ........................................................................................................................13
• TMSA: KPI 6A.2.2 ................................................................................................................. 13
• IMO: ISM Code 7 .................................................................................................................. 13
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Document Code SO-01
STS Operation Management Revision Number 00
Effective Date 03/15/2023
I. Purpose
To establish a manual that explain all steps and requirements of Mooring and Anchoring vessels.
II. Scope
This “Mooring and Anchoring” manual applies to all vessels of the company.
III. Definitions and Acronyms
• CFM: Cloud Fleet Management Software
• Mooring system: The mooring system prevents the ship from drifting away from a berth and
holds the ship in place.
• SPM: Single Point Mooring
• FPSO: Floating Production Storage and Offloading
• FSU: Floating Storage Units
• STS: Ship-to-Ship
• Snapback: Sudden release of the energy stores in the stretched synthetic line when it
breaks.
• MBL: Master Bill of Lading
• Critical wind velocity: The wind speed at which the wind pressure exerted on the ship
windage area is greater than the holding capacity of the anchor.
• Brought up: Come to: Come to get her cable: A vessel is said to be brought up when her way
has stopped and she is riding to her anchor with her anchor holding.
• BHC: Brake Holding Capacity
• SWL: Safe Working Load
• PIC: Person in Charge
IV. Responsibilities and Authorities
Main Responsibility
All the mentioned PICs in this document are responsible for implementing all the provisions of
this document.
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Document Code SO-01
STS Operation Management Revision Number 00
Effective Date 03/15/2023
1. STS Operation Management
1.1 General
Normally will one of the two ships either maintain steerage way at slow speed i.e., about 5 knots
keeping a steady course heading or it is already positioned at anchor. In either case the other ship
is referred to as the maneuvering ship.
Caution:
The STS transfer operation should be under control of one individual who will be either one of the
masters concerned or STS mooring master.
1.2 Operation
Mooring operations should be managed to ensure safe and fast mooring line handling.
Note:
Moorings should be arranged and rigged to allow safe, effective line tending when the ships
are secured together. This is especially true on board the maneuvering ships whose mooring
lines will normally be used but should also be addressed on the constant heading ship where
messengers have to be made ready between fairleads and deck winches.
Caution:
The order of passing mooring lines during mooring and unmooring should be agreed in advance of
the operation.
It is important to ensure moorings allow for ship movement to avoid over stressing the lines
throughout the operation but that they are not so long that they will allow unacceptable
movement between the ships. Lines should only be led through closed chocks or leads suitable
for STS operations.
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Document Code SO-01
STS Operation Management Revision Number 00
Effective Date 03/15/2023
Note:
1) The principles for mixed mooring are also valid for STS.
2) OCIMF STS guide checklists shall be used:
At sea STS operation (Checklist 1 to 5)
In port STS operation (Checklist 6 and 6A)
3) Comprehensive STS records shall be maintained.
4) Deck officers must familiarize with company’s STS procedures, JPO and STS checklist.
5) Deck crew involved in STS operation must be familiar with vessel’s STS operation plan.
6) STS joint plan of operation (JPO) must be available and developed before starting of any
STS operation.
References:
• OCIMF: Ship to Ship Transfer Guide for Petroleum, Chemical, and Liquified Gases
• TMSA: KPI 6A.2.1
• IMO: ISM Code 7
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Document Code SO-01
STS Operation Management Revision Number 00
Effective Date 03/15/2023
2. Single Point Mooring/F(P)SO
2.1 Equipment
The chain stopper should be checked for its proper function before running into a SPM berth. A
messenger of approximately 24 mm and of sufficient length and strength for the operation must
be made ready. If necessary one of the mooring ropes on the forward winch should be reeled
off having the storage drum ready for the pickup of the mooring.
Caution:
A large axe, sledgehammer and crow bar should be ready and available.
2.2 Operation
Normally is the terminal supplying special designed mooring lines. In order to avoid chafing of the
mooring line on the fairlead a chafe chain is attached to the hawser and it is this chain which pass
through the fairleads and are connected on board to the chain stopper. Attached to the end of
the chain a pickup rope.
Master and officers to familiarize with company’s procedure at SPM/FPSO.
HVPQ to be updated with actual physical arrangements for mooring at SPM/F(P)SO.
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Document Code SO-01
STS Operation Management Revision Number 00
Effective Date 03/15/2023
Operation
Before lowering the messenger line to the line handling boat, it should be
running through one of the bow fairleads.
The messenger should then pass through the chain stopper before going to the
winch.
A direct and straight line lead of the pickup rope from the fairlead to the winch
drums is preferable, so that the use of pedestal can be minimized and the whole
operation can be carried out on a hands off basis.
The pickup rope should be heaved in until the chafe chain passes through the
fairlead and reached the required position in the chain stopper.
Care should be taken when winching in the pickup rope and chain to ensure
there is always some slack in the mooring assembly.
The ship should manoeuvre to ensure that this does not occur.
The pickup rope must never be used to heave the ship into position or to
maintain its position
Once the chafe chain is in position it should be secured in the stopper as quickly
as possible.
Once the chain is connected the pickup rope should be walked back until the
weight is transferred to the stopper.
When unmooring, the weight of the chains should be taken on the winch before
lifting the stopper.
The chain should then be walked back into the water and the pickup rope slowly
paid out.
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Document Code SO-01
STS Operation Management Revision Number 00
Effective Date 03/15/2023
References:
• OCIMF/CDI: Recommendations for Oil and /chemical Tanker Manifolds and Associated
Equipment
• TMSA: KPI 6A.2.1
• IMO: ISM Code 10.1
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Document Code SO-01
STS Operation Management Revision Number 00
Effective Date 03/15/2023
3. Offshore Operations
3.1 Conventional or Multi-buoy Moorings (CBM or MBM)
3.1.1 Equipment
Considerably higher loads than those experienced during a normal berthing operation are
imposed on the lines and as far as possible only lines on drums should be used during offshore
mooring operations. Because of these higher-than-normal loads, all the equipment should be
thoroughly checked beforehand and only good quality lines should be used.
Caution:
A large axe, sledgehammer and crow bar should be ready and available.
3.1.2 Operation
At many CBM/MBM:
CBM/MBM
The ships moorings are often supplemented by shore wires.
The handlings of these heavy wires around the warping drum of a winch and
then onto bitts, should only be done carefully.
When stopping of the wires prior to securing to bitts, correctly sized carpenter
stoppers should be used.
When unberthing, if using shore wires, they should be stoppered off, and
transferred to the warping drum then walked back, using slip wires as necessary.
Caution:
Full length wires should never be let go “on the run”.
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Document Code SO-01
STS Operation Management Revision Number 00
Effective Date 03/15/2023
3.2 FPSO and FSU
Although there are different types of FPSO/FSU off shore mooring systems, the most common
system is the tandem arrangement where the export tanker is connected bow to stern with the
FPSO/FSU using hawser arrangement similar to those on SPM.
References:
• OCIMF: Guidelines for Offshore Tanker Operations
• TMSA: KPI 6A.2.1
• IMO: ISM Code 7
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