A Spek anchor is a stockless anchor design. "Stockless" describes the structure — no transverse stock — and "Spek" names a design in its own right, not a holding-power grade. In China the design is covered by a dedicated shipbuilding industry standard, CB/T 711-1995, whose published scope is the anchor's structural type, basic dimensions and technical requirements. Schmitt describes its Spek anchor as a balanced type intended for anchor pockets,[2] and at least one maker publishes a shorter-shank version under its own model name.[4] The practical point for anyone reading a catalogue: the family name identifies the design group, but the model number and that model's drawing identify the anchor actually being offered.
What the Name "Spek" Identifies
Technical reference literature treats anchor structure and holding-power category as separate ideas. The Wärtsilä Encyclopedia of Marine and Energy Technology lists, in one line, "stock-anchors, stockless anchors (SPEK or HALL type), High Holding Power (HHP) anchors, Super Holding Power (SHHP) anchors."[1]
Two things follow. Stockless is a structural description, and Spek and Hall appear in that list as two separate design names rather than synonyms. HHP and SHHP are performance categories listed alongside the structural types, not inside them — so "Spek" on its own says nothing about holding power, and a Spek anchor also labelled HHP is making two statements: a design name, plus a performance claim that needs its own evidence.
On Andy Marine's own pages a Spek listing sits beside the Hall and AC-14 listings, and the site's guide to ship anchor types sets out the same separation of design names from holding-power categories.
The Design Intent Suppliers Describe
The design's stated purpose is easiest to see in how a supplier describes its own product. Schmitt, Anchors & Chaincables B.V. writes of its Spek type that it is "a balanced type and specially designed to fit anchor pockets on modern ships."[2]
That wording is the supplier's own, and it describes what the design is for, not what it has been measured to do. "Balanced" is not a test result or a holding-power grade, and a design intended for an anchor pocket is not a guarantee that recovery can never bring the anchor into contact with hull plating. Read it as design intent, attributed to the supplier that published it.
The Standard Behind the Name
For readers working from Chinese documentation, the anchor has a dedicated standard rather than only a family name. The public catalogue record shows CB/T 711-1995, Spek Anchor, a shipbuilding industry standard whose published scope states that it specifies the structural type, basic dimensions and technical requirements of the Spek anchor.[3]
One caution follows from having both a standard and a product name: a listing name is not a conformance statement. A catalogue entry that reads "CB711-95" resembles the standard designation CB/T 711-1995, but the resemblance alone does not establish that a particular anchor was built to, or certified against, that standard. The model and drawing for the offered item remain the identifiers that matter.
Why Model Designations Matter More Than the Family Name
A maker may publish more than one Spek geometry under the same family name. Sotra Anchor & Chain's published Spek drawing contains a table of principal dimensions and adds the note "For shorter shank, see SPEK M."[4] That note marks another short-shank version published by the same maker; the maker's own drawing is the place to check what that version's geometry actually is.
The same principle shows up in Andy Marine's own catalogue, where the Spek anchor range is listed under three names — CB711-95, Type M and Type SR. Those are listing names for separate product pages, and a listing name alone is not enough to conclude that two Spek models share the same geometry, dimensions or drawing, or suit the same vessel arrangement. Check the model designation against the drawing supplied for the offered anchor.
Reading a Spek Listing or Drawing
| What you are looking at | What it identifies | What it does not decide |
|---|---|---|
| The family name "Spek" | The design group an anchor belongs to (a stockless design) | Which geometry, dimensions or model applies to the anchor offered |
| A model designation, e.g. CB711-95, Type M or Type SR | The specific product page or offering within the range | That two models share a geometry, a drawing or dimensions |
| A standard reference such as CB/T 711-1995 | The standard covering the design's structural type, basic dimensions and technical requirements | That a given unit was built or certified to that standard |
| A principal-dimension table on the maker's drawing | The size series and proportions for that model, as on Sotra's drawing | That a generic catalogue entry is the approved drawing for your order |
| A supplier phrase such as "balanced type" or "designed to fit anchor pockets" | The stated design intent, as published by that supplier | Any measured performance, holding-power grade, or collision-free recovery |
Where to Start
If the question behind your search is "which Spek anchor fits what we have", start from the drawing of the model in question, not from the family name. The Spek anchor range shows the models currently listed, and the marine anchor section places them next to the other design groups. If you are extending an existing arrangement, the drawing or specification sheet for the anchor already in place identifies the model far more reliably than a name, and you can send those through the contact form. For how the anchoring system loads an anchor in service — chain, scope and the forces involved — see How Ship Anchors Work: Holding Power.
References
- Wärtsilä, Encyclopedia of Marine and Energy Technology, term "Anchor" — https://www.wartsila.com/encyclopedia/term/anchor (accessed 2026-09-29).
- Schmitt, Anchors & Chaincables B.V., "Spek Type" product page — https://schmitt-anchors.com/en/products/anchors/spek_type (accessed 2026-09-29). Supplier's own product description.
- National Digital Standards Library, catalogue record for CB/T 711-1995 "Spek Anchor" — https://www.ndls.org.cn/standard/detail/b7fd79f72fb5c5c546d0c0053d235314 (accessed 2026-09-29). Public catalogue record only; full standard text not consulted.
- Sotra Anchor & Chain, "Stockless Anchor Spek" drawing — https://www.sotra.net/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Spek_anchor.pdf (accessed 2026-09-29). Maker-published drawing, with the note "For shorter shank, see SPEK M."
