scope:

Application

This Guide supersedes previous versions and ABS encourages its immediate application. Compliance with this edition is required for offshore units and single point moorings contracted for construction on or after 1 July 2017 and when the application for certification of chains and accessories is dated on or after 1 July 2017.

These requirements apply to the materials, design, manufacture, and testing of offshore mooring chain and accessories intended to be used for temporary and permanent applications such as: mooring of mobile offshore units, mooring of floating production units, mooring of offshore loading systems, and mooring of gravity based structures during fabrication.

Mooring Equipment

Mooring equipment covered is common stud and studless links, connecting common links (splice links), enlarged links, end links, detachable connecting links (shackles), end shackles, double pinned H-type links, tri-plates and shackles, subsea mooring hooks, and H-links specifically designed for chain to wire/polyester rope connections and thimbles.

Mooring foundation shackles and anchor shackles for mooring are also to comply with the requirements of this Guide.

Studless Chain

Studless link chain is normally deployed only once, being intended for long-term permanent mooring systems with pre-determined design life.

Chafing Chain

Requirements for chafing chain for Emergency Towing Arrangement (ETA) are given in 3-5-1/17 of the ABS Rules for Building and Classing Steel Vessels. In addition, recognized industry standards such as OCIMF may be applied. Also refer to Appendix 1 for the requirements applying to chafing chain for single point mooring arrangements (short lengths approximately 8 m).

Materials requirements are to comply with applicable parts of this Guide.

Special Subsea Mooring Connectors

In the case of specially designed subsea connectors, these requirements are in general applicable. However, consideration will be given to unique designs, validated by first principles engineering, with mechanical and material properties different from those herein.