Electro-Hydraulic Vertical Anchor Capstan with Warping Head for Ship Anchoring

Product Specification

Electro-Hydraulic Vertical Anchor Capstan with Warping Head for Ship Anchoring and Mooring

Product Overview

This electro-hydraulic vertical anchor capstan is a marine deck machine for ship anchoring and rope warping. Its vertical shaft carries the anchor-chain cable lifter / gypsy and can also incorporate a warping head for handling mooring rope. The drive is supplied from an electric-motor-driven hydraulic power unit (HPU), allowing the hydraulic motor and reduction system to deliver controlled torque while the vertical arrangement reduces the deck footprint.

The equipment should be selected from the actual anchor-chain diameter and grade, required continuous duty pull, anchor recovery speed, warping load, rope size, anchorage depth, brake / chain-stopper arrangement, and vessel foundation. It is not a cargo or personnel lifting appliance. The anchoring function, mooring warping function, holding load, and brake capacity are separate engineering checks and should not be described by one generic SWL.

Quick Specifications

• Equipment type: Vertical anchor capstan with warping head → vertical-axis cable lifter for ship anchoring plus rope warping on the upper head.
• Chain diameter range: 12.5–60 mm → cable lifter / gypsy must match the actual certified chain diameter, pitch, and profile, not diameter alone.
• Chain grade: AM2 / AM3 stated by the supplied data → project designation should be matched to the chain certificate and class requirement.
• Reference continuous duty pull: approximately 6.6–171.0 kN for Grade 2 / Grade 3 over the selected 12.5–60 mm product range → calculated from the IACS UR A3 reference formulas.
• Nominal anchor-chain recovery speed: 9 m/min in the supplied table → equal to 0.15 m/s, the reference minimum hoisting speed used in IACS UR A3.
• Warping load range: 5–200 kN in the supplied table → rope type, diameter, number of turns, and warping-head profile should be checked separately.
• Drive arrangement: electro-hydraulic as the main configuration → direct electric drive is a separate option and should not be mixed with HPU power data.
• Installation arrangement: below-deck, semi-below-deck, or above-deck drive layout → final foundation, shaft position, chain lead, and maintenance access follow the vessel GA.

Anchoring & Warping Functions

Anchoring: the cable lifter / gypsy engages the stud-link anchor chain and is used to heave in or pay out the ship’s anchor chain under controlled power. The windlass/capstan working pull is derived from chain diameter and grade, while holding and securing of the anchor require a separate brake and chain-stopper / securing assessment.

Warping: the upper warping head handles steel wire or fibre / synthetic mooring rope by friction between the rope turns and the warping surface. The warping head is not a storage drum; rope diameter and warping-head profile should be matched to the project arrangement.

Main Technical Parameters

Electro-Hydraulic Drive & Control

• Typical drive path: electric motor → hydraulic pump / HPU → control and relief valves → hydraulic motor → reduction gear → vertical main shaft → cable lifter / warping head.
• Hydraulic drive is useful where compact machinery arrangement, smooth low-speed torque, overload protection, or remote-control integration is required.
• System design pressure, relief-valve setting, oil tank capacity, cooling requirement, hydraulic motor displacement, piping size, and filtration level are project-specific and should be confirmed by the approved hydraulic schematic.
• Local control should remain available for anchoring operations. Remote control, if required, should be defined together with emergency stop, direction indication, brake / clutch status, and project interlocks.
• Direct electric drive can also be supplied as a separate configuration, but its motor rating and multi-speed data should be treated independently from the electro-hydraulic HPU selection.

Cable Lifter, Brake & Safety Engineering

• Cable-lifter / gypsy geometry must match the anchor chain. Incorrect pocket profile or pitch can produce poor seating, shock loading, chain jump, and accelerated wear.
• Working pull is not the same as brake holding load. The brake, cable lifter, shafting, bearings, gears, base frame, and chain stopper are checked under different load cases.
• For an IACS-based design review, continuous duty pull, temporary overload capability, brake holding condition, and anchorage depth are verified separately. Deeper anchorage can increase required pull.
• The anchor securing arrangement should be coordinated with the vessel’s chain stopper / stopper bar, hawse pipe, spurling pipe, chain locker, and deck structure.
• Emergency stop and protective devices should be arranged according to the approved control philosophy and applicable class / flag requirements.

Deck Arrangement & Installation

Vertical anchor capstans are useful where the vessel needs a compact deck footprint. Depending on the project, the cable lifter and warping head can remain above deck while the gearbox, hydraulic motor, or drive components are arranged partly or fully below deck.

• Confirm chain lead from hawse pipe to cable lifter and from cable lifter to spurling pipe / chain locker before fixing the shaft centreline.
• Confirm deck penetration, base plate, foundation stiffness, under-deck reinforcement, mounting bolt / weld arrangement, and maintenance removal space from the approved GA.
• Confirm hydraulic pipe routing, drain / leakage management, electrical cable routing, HPU location, ventilation, oil cooling, and access for filter and seal maintenance.
• If the warping head is used for mooring, confirm safe operator position, rope lead, nearby fairlead / chock arrangement, and avoidance of hazardous snap-back exposure.

Selection & Inquiry Guide

Step 1: Confirm vessel anchoring data: anchor mass, chain diameter, chain grade / certificate, chain length, anchorage depth, and whether a chain stopper is fitted.

Step 2: Confirm required performance: continuous duty pull, recovery speed, overload requirement, brake holding requirement, warping load, and operating duty.

Step 3: Confirm mooring-rope data: steel wire / synthetic / fibre rope, rope diameter, required warping-head size, and rope lead direction.

Step 4: Confirm drive and control: electro-hydraulic HPU, power supply, motor voltage / frequency, local or remote control, emergency stop, and any monitoring signals.

Step 5: Confirm installation arrangement: below-deck / semi-below-deck / above-deck drive, available deck space, foundation drawing, hawse / spurling arrangement, and chain locker position.

Step 6: Confirm project scope: quantity, class society, required tests / witnessing, material and coating requirement, GA drawing, delivery destination, and required delivery time.

Structure & Components

Warping head | Cable lifter / gypsy | Vertical main shaft | Brake and clutch / disengaging arrangement as applicable | Reduction gearbox | Hydraulic motor | Base / foundation | Electro-hydraulic HPU | Local control station | Optional remote control | Guards and protective devices

Engineering & Quality Advantages

• Vertical-axis arrangement reduces horizontal deck footprint and gives the designer more flexibility to place the hydraulic motor / gearbox below deck when required.
• Electro-hydraulic drive provides controllable low-speed torque and allows the HPU, hydraulic motor, relief protection, and control system to be selected around the actual chain pull and operating duty.
• Chain handling is engineered from chain diameter, grade, pocket engagement, and anchorage depth rather than from a generic capstan tonnage.
• The warping function is separated from the anchor-chain working load, preventing the common mistake of treating chain pull, rope warping load, and brake holding load as the same rating.
• For class projects, material traceability, weld procedure, load-bearing component calculations, hydraulic schematic, electrical one-line diagram, control logic, and shop test records can be prepared according to the agreed approval scope.

Custom Attributes

Product Type: Vertical anchor capstan with warping head → combines ship anchoring and rope warping on a vertical-axis deck machine.

Primary Drive: Electro-hydraulic → electric motor drives HPU; hydraulic motor drives the capstan shaft through reduction gearing.

Chain Range: 12.5–60 mm → cable lifter must be matched to the actual chain drawing / certificate.

Chain Grade: AM2 / AM3 reference → class-specific grade designation and mechanical properties to be confirmed.

Nominal Speed: 9 m/min in supplied table → higher-speed 9–18 m/min options require separate power and class confirmation.

Warping Head Diameter: 200–700 mm stated range → select from rope diameter, rope type, warping load, and project profile requirement.

Rope Diameter: 11–46 mm stated range → applicable rope material and warping-head geometry to be confirmed.

Control: Local / remote option → remote functions, alarms, interlocks, and emergency stop philosophy to be defined by project.

Operating Principle

Anchoring: HPU starts → hydraulic motor develops torque → reduction gear turns vertical shaft → cable lifter heaves or pays out anchor chain → brake / chain stopper secures the chain as required. Warping: warping head rotates → mooring rope is taken around the head → friction transmits controlled pull → operator tends the rope without using the head as a storage drum.

Applications

Cargo ships | Tankers | Bulk carriers | Workboats | Tugboats | Barges | Offshore support vessels for normal ship anchoring / mooring | Newbuilding projects | Deck machinery replacement projects

Standards, Testing & Certification

ISO 4568:2021 is the current published international standard specifically covering sea-going vessel windlasses and anchor capstans with electric, hydraulic, pneumatic, or external drive. ISO 6482:2017 covers warping-end profiles, and ISO 1704:2022 covers stud-link anchor-chain dimensions. These standards can be used as project references when specified; final class / flag requirements take precedence.

Factory acceptance testing can be arranged according to the approved specification. ISO 4857:2023 provides test procedures for assembled windlass / winch systems including no-load, warping-end load, cable-lifter load, overload, and brake-load tests.

Certificates are available according to project requirement, approved inspection scope, and classification society procedure; they are not assumed to be included by default.

Certification: CCS, NK, BV, ABS, DNV, LR, KR, IRS, RS, RINA, CRS, Makers Test Certificate.

Drawing & Photos

FAQ

Q1: Is a vertical anchor capstan the same as a normal mooring capstan?

A1: No. A vertical anchor capstan has a cable lifter / gypsy on a vertical shaft for handling the ship’s anchor chain. A mooring capstan primarily handles rope on a warping head. A combined unit can perform both functions, but chain pull, warping load, and brake holding load are separate ratings.

Q2: How should the correct chain size and power be selected?

A2: Start with the certified chain diameter and grade, anchor mass, anchorage depth, continuous duty pull, required recovery speed, and overload requirement. The cable-lifter pocket must match the actual chain. The HPU / motor rating is then checked against hydraulic efficiency, operating duty, and class requirements.

Q3: What information is required before quotation?

A3: Provide anchor and chain data, warping-rope data, required pull / speed, brake and chain-stopper arrangement, power supply, control method, deck / foundation GA, class society, test requirement, quantity, delivery destination, and required delivery time.