Anchor Chain News

Stud link vs studless anchor chain: working load differs by 1.5x. Compare AM2 vs AM3, selection tips, and why Norway and Chile choose differently. SMEOCEAN.

Deep-Sea Aquaculture Is Reshaping the Mooring Market – A Pre-Expo Look at FISHEX 2026 From September 10 to 12, 2026, the 12th Guangzhou International Fisheries & Seafood Expo (FISHEX 2026) will open in Guangzhou. Over 50,000 square meters of exhibition space, 650+ exhibitors, and 45,000+ professional visitors from 80 countries – a 17.78% increase from the previous edition. As a mooring equipment supplier, we're not just watching the scale. We're watching a trend: deep-sea aquaculture mooring demand is shifting from a niche topic to a real market.

SMM 2026 – Signals for the Anchor Chain Industry from the Hamburg Maritime Exhibition From September 1 to 4, 2026, the 32nd edition of SMM (Shipbuilding, Machinery & Marine Technology) will take place at the Hamburg Messe in Germany. SMM is the world's largest and most influential professional maritime exhibition, with this year's event expected to feature over 2,200 exhibitors and approximately 40,000 professional visitors.

In January 2026, the anchor chain material standard GB/T 18669-2025 officially came into effect — officially incorporating M4 grade (CM770) anchor chain steel into the national standard. But for procurement professionals and technical managers, the core question is not "what changed in the standard" — it's: Can M4 grade anchor chain be purchased now? Can it be installed on vessels? This article answers that question directly.

This is the second article in our Marine Delta Plate series. In the first article, "5 Questions to Confirm Before Ordering Marine Delta Plate," we covered the key parameters to confirm before placing an order — including the two manufacturing options: forged and plate-cut. In this article, we go deeper: What exactly is the difference between these two methods? If you've already determined the SWL and class society requirements but are still unsure which process or material to choose, this guide will help you decide.

A Marine Delta Plate (also called Triangle Plate) is a critical connecting component in towing and mooring systems, linking the main towline to the bridle chains. If the specifications aren't confirmed before ordering, you might end up with parts that don't fit or lack the required strength — and the rework cost can far exceed the price of the plate itself.

SMEOCEAN supplies aquaculture mooring anchors and complete anchoring systems to fish farms across Europe and South America. Our manufacturing facilities have been producing mooring equipment for the aquaculture industry for over 20 years. The following guide is based on real project experience and customer feedback from salmon farms in Norway, Chile, and beyond.” We have previously covered anchor chain selection and mooring failure risks. Now we address a more specific question: which anchor type should you choose for your fish farm mooring system? Anchor selection comes down to three factors: seabed conditions, environmental loads, and redundancy requirements.

If you work with anchor chains, you‘ve probably noticed that Kenter shackles are everywhere, while D-type joining shackles are increasingly rare. Modern vessels overwhelmingly use Kenter shackles as the standard for connecting chain sections. But why did this shift happen? The answer comes down to one fundamental issue: the D-type joining shackle cannot pass through the windlass gypsy wheel.

If you work with anchor chains, you know that every component must be precise. End shackles (ES) and joining shackles (JS) are two of the most easily confused components. They look similar but serve completely different purposes and are not interchangeable.