Eason Marine, pioneers of rotationally moulded, low maintenance navigation buoys, have also launched a new product in the form of the EM 3000 3m navigation buoy. The EM 3000 is larger than Eason Marine's existing range but retains the traditional virtues of being lightweight, durable and serviceable. Evolved with the introduction of new materials and electronics, this huge navigation buoy will be deployed primarily for deep water, offshore and tidal applications.

The 3m buoy was created using the latest CAD design technology, which allowed Eason to build a model and test out the key issues of practical assembly and component design. The resulting buoy is of modular plastic construction with high visibility and higher than normal radar reflection.

The EM 3000 performed well during tests in a variety of simulated and varied climatic conditions. Due to the impracticality of representing a mooring system of 1,222kg below the model, it was decided that the representative weight would be hung below the buoy then moored to the test tank bottom by elastic.

This removed any benefit the catenary action of the mooring system would have on heave and roll.

MJ Information No: 17464