A mooring is a permanent or semi-permanent anchoring system on the water to which a boat can be safely secured. It is any permanent structure to which a seaborne vessel may be secured, such as quays, wharfs, jetties, piers, anchor buoys, and mooring buoys. Mooring refers to the act of attaching a vessel to a mooring. The term likely stems from the Dutch verb meren (to moor), used in English since the end of the 15th century.

There are different types of mooring systems, including anchor mooring and swing mooring. An anchor mooring fixes a vessels position relative to a point on the bottom of a waterway without connecting the vessel to shore. A swing mooring consists of a single anchor at the bottom of a waterway with a rope, cable, or chain running to a float on the surface.

Components of a typical mooring system include mooring lines, which are the main components of any mooring system, and are made of steel or high-grade synthetic materials. The forces transmitted from the ship structures are transmitted directly to these mooring lines. The net effect on the lines becomes manifold from this static load coupled with the random dynamic behavior from the tendency of motions or environmental loads acting on the ship.

The main job of a mooring system is to secure a vessel in its position when berthed safely and also ensure that the vessel is kept sound from collisions or damages due to vessel-structure interactions due to external dynamic forces. A good mooring system for a given vessel should have the following characteristics:

• High strength and elasticity
• Suitable material and sizes of mooring lines
• Good design and arrangement of mooring lines
• Proper maintenance and inspection of the mooring system

Mooring systems are used for station keeping of a ship or floating platform in all water depths. They are made up of a mooring line, anchor, and connectors. The mooring line can be made up of synthetic fiber rope, wire, and chain or a combination of the three. Environmental factors such as wind, waves, and currents determine which materials make up the mooring system.

In summary, a mooring is a permanent or semi-permanent anchoring system on the water to which a boat can be safely secured. It is used to secure a vessel in its position when berthed safely and also ensure that the vessel is kept sound from collisions or damages due to vessel-structure interactions due to external dynamic forces.