This is the nerve-wracking moment seamen descended to the side of a ship to remove a cable tangled on the anchor.

Two seafarers had to clamber down the starboard-side anchor to take out the wires wrapped around the ground tackle off the coast of Santos in Brazil.

Footage captured by container ship crew member Dan Gil Joseph shows two men in helmets and boilersuits wearing their safety harnesses on July 29.

One of them then carefully climbed down the stepladder with a cigarette in his mouth, followed by his colleague.

The two men then sat on the anchor and used a grinder to cut off the cable beneath the wobbly sea, with waves slamming against the vessel.

They then scaled back up to the ship with the help of their workmates, who were waiting for them.

Dan said: 'The cable line was tangled on the anchor while heaving up, so they were tasked to remove it.'