Have we ever heard a harbour master say he doesn't want tugs with more bollard pull? Or an oil company knocks back an anchor-handler because of too much bollard pull? Unlikely. With bollard pulls approaching 300 tonnes, do we really appreciate the relevance of these figures? How much more do we need? Is 400 tonnes the limit? Is there a disconnect between theoretical calculations and practical seamanship? Are empirical bollard pull formulae causing confusion? Can too much bollard pull be dangerous? This paper examines the history of bollard pulls and the impact on our industry today - the myths and confusion and even the misguided emphasis placed on bollard pulls.
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