This paper presents a novel step forward in finding the loads of particular mooring ropes that balance the steady
environmental excitations for a ship staying at berth. The industrial static equilibrium method for a rough assessment
of ship mooring safety is considered to be well-established. The static loads are directly related to the
rope’s MBLs (minimum breaking loads) while applying a certain safety margin (usually 50%). The problem is
reduced to a set of linear equations that may be solved analytically. The generality in terms of arbitrary horizontal
and vertical angles of mooring ropes is preserved. All derivations are provided to enhance trust in the very
simple yet absolutely accurate and fast linear solution. The accuracy is studied both analytically, throughout
all the development stages, and finally by comparison to the exact numerical solution of the original nonlinear
equilibrium equations for an exemplary mooring pattern. A discussion of selected effects in load distribution
is also given. Using the approach presented, for instance, we can efficiently test mooring safety when any mooring
rope of the set is accidentally broken.
