Harbour engineering — floating mooring components (concept check) In a typical floating mooring arrangement used offshore or away from a quay, which of the following shore-side or sea-side elements is NOT required as an essential part of the system?

Introduction / Context:
Floating moorings are used where ships or small craft cannot come alongside a quay. Vessels pick up a buoy that is held in position by seabed anchors and connected by chains or wire ropes. Understanding which components are essential helps avoid design and operational errors.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Floating (offshore) mooring point away from the shore.
• Standard practice uses a buoy connected to anchors via chains/cables.
• No quay wall or jetty is involved.

Concept / Approach:

A shore-side bollard is only needed when berthing at a quay. A floating mooring provides the holding point at sea via the buoy; the restraint is supplied by anchors and connecting catenary chains/cables. Hence the shore bollard is not required.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:

Typical single-point moorings, fore-and-aft buoys, and trot moorings all exclude shore bollards unless used near a quay, confirming the reasoning.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• Cables/chains are mandatory to transmit load to anchors.
• Anchors provide positional holding against wind/wave/current.
• The buoy is the floating connection point for the vessel.

Common Pitfalls:

• Confusing floating moorings with quay berthing arrangements.
• Under-sizing anchor scope/chain length, leading to excessive loads.

Final Answer:

Bollard (shore-side mooring post).