Winch & Deck Machinery Services

Winch and deck machinery services

Winch and deck machinery services keep windlasses, mooring winches, capstans, warping heads, towing winches and auxiliary deck winches reliable enough to anchor, berth and handle lines safely. These machines work in salt spray, stand idle for long periods and then take sudden peak loads, so gearboxes, bearings, band brakes, clutches, drives and control systems wear in ways that are not always visible during routine rounds. A slipping brake or a seized clutch usually shows itself at the worst moment, during mooring or when the anchor is let go.

vslSafety arranges deck machinery specialists at the vessel’s port for planned overhauls, brake holding tests, fault finding and breakdown repairs. The work often overlaps with mooring equipment services and anchor and chain cable services, so a single attendance can cover machinery, fittings and lines together.

Regulatory requirements and standards

Deck machinery sits under several overlapping frameworks:

• SOLAS regulation II-1/3-8 (as amended by MSC.474(102), in force 1 January 2024) requires mooring equipment, including lines, to be inspected and maintained in a suitable condition for its intended purpose. MSC.1/Circ.1620 gives the inspection and maintenance guidance, and MSC.1/Circ.1619 covers design and selection for new ships.
• Class rules govern windlass design and testing. IACS UR A3 (Anchor Windlass Design and Testing) applies to new ships contracted on or after 1 July 2018 and covers continuous duty pull, overload capacity and brake holding. Windlasses and mooring winches are also examined at annual and renewal hull surveys.
• SOLAS regulation II-1/3-13 applies from 1 January 2026 to anchor handling winches, with guidelines in MSC.1/Circ.1662.
• Industry standards and guidance include ISO 7825 (deck machinery general requirements), ISO 4568 (windlasses and anchor capstans), ISO 3730 (mooring winches) and OCIMF Mooring Equipment Guidelines (MEG4), which recommends winch brakes are set to render at 60% of the ship design minimum breaking load and tested periodically.

Maker instructions set the overhaul scope and intervals for gearboxes, hydraulic motors and brakes, and the company’s planned maintenance system should reflect them.

Inspection and servicing intervals

Item	Requirement	Interval	Reference
Mooring winch brakes	Brake holding / render test	At delivery, typically annually, and after brake maintenance	OCIMF MEG4, company SMS
Mooring equipment including winches	Inspection and maintenance per onboard procedures	Per planned maintenance system	SOLAS II-1/3-8, MSC.1/Circ.1620
Windlass	Examination at hull surveys	Annual and renewal surveys	Class rules
Gearboxes, bearings, clutches	Oil analysis, inspection, overhaul	Maker’s running hours or calendar interval	Maker’s manual
Anchor handling winches	Certification and testing	Per MSC.1/Circ.1662 and flag	SOLAS II-1/3-13

What the service includes

• Condition survey of windlasses, mooring winches and capstans, with a written report and priorities
• Brake holding and render tests using hydraulic jacks, test rigs or load cells, with brake adjustment
• Renewal of brake linings, band pins and brake springs
• Clutch, dog and spline inspection and repair
• Gearbox opening, gear and bearing inspection, and oil sampling
• Hydraulic motor, valve block and control overhaul, with pressure and flow checks
• Electric motor insulation testing, controller and limit switch repair
• Drum, warping head and gypsy wear checks and surface restoration
• Foundation and bedplate inspection, with NDT arranged where cracking is suspected
• Running tests under load and handover report

Equipment types covered

Combined windlass and mooring winch units, split-drum and single-drum mooring winches, automatic tension winches, capstans, towing and emergency towing winches, hose-handling winches, and accommodation ladder and pilot hoist winches. Drives may be electric, electro-hydraulic or steam on older tonnage. Makers encountered include MacGregor (Hatlapa), Rolls-Royce/Kongsberg, TTS, Kawasaki, Fukushima and many yard-supplied Chinese and Korean units. For hydraulic power packs and pipework see hydraulic services.

Common defects and PSC findings

• Winch brakes that slip below the required holding load, or no record of a brake test
• Contaminated or glazed brake linings, seized brake linkages and missing split pins
• Hydraulic leaks at motors, valve blocks and hoses, leaving slippery decks
• Worn gypsy pockets causing chain to jump or ride up
• Corroded foundations and bedplates, and cracked welds at winch seats
• Missing guards over rotating parts and defective emergency stops

PSC officers routinely observe mooring and anchoring operations, and deficiencies against anchoring devices and mooring arrangements are regularly recorded in MoU inspection data.

Certificates and documents you receive

A service report per machine describing the work, parts replaced and measurements taken; brake test certificates showing the holding load achieved and the test method; oil analysis results where samples are taken; and recommendations for follow-up. Where class must witness a repair or test, the provider’s report supports the surveyor’s own record.

How to prepare the vessel

• Plan brake tests for a berth or anchorage where the winch can be taken out of service safely
• Have lines removed from drums being tested and confirm the SDMBL and brake data from the mooring system documentation
• Isolate power and hydraulics under the permit-to-work system during overhauls
• Collect maker manuals, previous brake test records and recent oil analyses
• Order long-lead spares such as brake linings and seal kits in advance through spare parts supply if needed

Information needed for a quotation

• Vessel name, IMO number, flag and class
• Port, berth or anchorage, ETA and ETD, and expected working time available
• Machine type, maker, model and serial number, and drive type (electric, hydraulic)
• Number of winches or windlasses and the scope (inspection, brake test, overhaul, repair)
• Description of the defect, alarm or symptom, with photos
• Date of last brake test and last overhaul
• Spares already on board

vslSafety coordinates a suitable deck machinery provider at the vessel’s port and confirms scope and timing before attendance.

Frequently asked questions

How often should mooring winch brakes be tested?

OCIMF MEG4 recommends testing brake holding capacity when the ship is delivered, at regular intervals thereafter (commonly annually) and after any work on the brake. Many company safety management systems adopt an annual interval. SOLAS regulation II-1/3-8 and MSC.1/Circ.1620 require mooring equipment to be inspected and maintained under onboard procedures, so the interval should be written into the planned maintenance system.

What is the correct brake render setting?

MEG4 recommends the brake is set to render at 60% of the ship design minimum breaking load (SDMBL) of the mooring line, on the first layer of the drum. The brake should be capable of higher holding so that 60% can still be achieved as linings wear. The render point protects the line and fittings, so it should be verified by test rather than assumed.

Can a windlass be repaired alongside during cargo operations?

Often yes, provided the anchor is secured by the chain stopper and the machine can be isolated safely. Gearbox openings and brake relining are commonly done alongside. If the windlass must remain available for an emergency, the work may be phased. Class should be informed if the repair affects anchoring equipment covered by the class certificate.

Why does anchor chain jump on the gypsy?

Common causes are worn gypsy pockets, a mismatch between chain size and gypsy, chain that has elongated through wear, or twisted links. The technician measures the gypsy and a sample of links and compares them against the maker’s and class tolerances. Repairs range from building up and machining the pockets to replacing the gypsy.

Do anchor handling winches fall under the new SOLAS lifting rules?

Yes. SOLAS regulation II-1/3-13 applies from 1 January 2026 to anchor handling winches as well as lifting appliances, with specific guidance in MSC.1/Circ.1662. Operators of anchor handling tugs and supply vessels should confirm with their flag and class how and when existing winches will be verified.