Difference Between the Terms Moored, Anchored, Docked and Berthed

Mooring Line

The terms Moored, Anchored, Docked, and Berthed are quite confusing for some especially for the beginners of the seafaring industry.

Mooring, Anchoring, and Berthing have a single purpose, to secure a ship or a boat. The difference comes in from the method of doing so. Docking, on the other hand is made for a specific purpose.

Let me elaborate further how the following terms differentiate from each other.

Moored

A ship is moored when it is secured by ropes on a fixture, specifically on the bollards or bitts.

Courtesy: Historicair
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For boats, mooring is done either like a ship or by securing it to a fixture on the seabed usually a large concrete block and a rope attach to it with a buoy at the end.

Courtesy: School of Sailing

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Anchored

A vessel is anchored when its anchor is dropped and attached to the seabed. It's usually done when a ship is staying for a short period of time in a place.

Coutesy: The Shipping Law Blog

Boats, however, have a different anchoring system. Check out the image below to understand how boats does anchoring.

Courtesy: Saiboat-Cruising

Docked

When a vessel is in port to collect/disembark passengers or load/discharge cargo it will be, in a sense, connected to the dock (the functional area of pier) and is therefore 'docked'.

Courtesy: Love's Photo Album

Generally a ship is docked for a specific purpose, and when that task is complete the vessel will move on.

Berthed

A berth, on the other hand, is a bit like the nautical equivalent of a parking space. Typically you buy one or lease one for a long period as somewhere to store your boat.

Courtesy: Port of Venice

To maximise space, 'berthed' vessels are typically kept perpendicular to (pointed at) the main jetty or pier, rather than a docked ship which is typically parallel to (in line with) the dock.

Reference: The Shipping Law Blog