Anchorage

An anchorage is a designated or traditionally used area of water where a vessel may anchor safely, providing adequate depth, sufficient swinging room, and holding ground suitable for the anchor to grip. Designated anchorages are shown on official charts and in port authority notices; their boundaries are surveyed and they may be reserved for specific vessel types — tanker anchorages, quarantine anchorages, or vessel traffic service-managed waiting areas. SOLAS V/34 requires the master to take appropriate precautions when anchoring, including ensuring that the anchor watch is competent and the position is monitored. Anchor watches must be maintained continuously while at anchor, with regular position checks by radar, ECDIS, or visual bearings to confirm that the vessel has not dragged. The officer of the watch must have an anchor alarm set and must know the ready state of the main engine. COLREG Rule 30 requires an anchored vessel to display prescribed lights or shapes and, in restricted visibility, to sound the prescribed fog signal. Port state control officers may check that anchor watch procedures are documented in the SMS and that anchor watch competencies meet the requirements of STCW.