The wash from passing ships can exert large forces onmoored vessels, mooring lines and fender loads, creating dangerous conditions, accordingto a joint industry study Research on the Passing Effects on Ships (Ropes).

Wash effects were shown to be able to cause mooredships to come loose and affect the safe loading and unloading of vessels, thethree year project reveals.

The research also found that forces from the wash aredirectly influenced by the shape of a port basin, the size of the vessel, thepassing distance and speed.