Sea-Anchor

A drifting vessel represents a serious threat to life and environment. In addition a disabled vessel will normal drift beam to the seas and the roll motions experienced will make it difficult both to board the vessel and to effectuate a possible repair.  

Miko’s Sea-Anchor will rotate the bow of even large cargo vessels up against the weather and reduce their drift rate increasing the chances for a successful salvage operation. The combination of a sea-anchor (with diameter up to 40 meters), the synthetic fibre towing line and the pick-up buoy solution provides the salvor more time and when in place, a fast and secure way to connect and start the tow.

The Sea-Anchor may be used as a “stand alone” product, in combination with Emergency Towing Systems for tankers, or as a part of the ShipArrestor as presented earlier.

The sea anchor is self activated when the anchor is pulled through the water. 

The particulars of the Sea–Anchor are adjusted to optimise the effect to:

1. Increase drag force to reduce drift speed by up to 60 %.
2. The bow of the vessel will be heading towards the environmental forces from wind, waves and current, hence reducing exposed area and motions of the vessel.
3. The tow-line - sea-anchor combination attached to a pick-up buoy will allow the salvor to - efficiently and safely, pick up the tow and start towing the casualty into a safe haven.

In 9 meter high waves and freezing temperatures the main engines of “MS Midnattsol” stopped at 04:00 a.m. in Desember 2003. 102 passengers were in their life boats when the engines were restarted only 200 meters from shore.