Vacuum based mooring trials during monsoon

Situated on the southeast coast of Oman on the Arabian Sea, the ten year old Port has rapidly grown to become one of the Middle East’s major deep sea container transhipment hubs, handling over 2.6 million TEU last year.

During the 2007 Southwest Monsoon (Khareef) season in Southern Oman, the Port of Salalah and Cavotec carried out extensive trials of the MoorMaster 600 automated mooring system.

The system is designed to provide an automated mooring solution and eliminate vessel surge caused by changes in wave dynamics. Such wave action causes vessels moored with conventional mooring lines to require extra time for container cranes to load and discharge containers, affecting productivity. The increased stability of the vessel at the wharf also improves safety conditions for terminal personnel working the ship.

‘During the monsoon months of June through September, we were able to reduce ship surge motion along the quay to between 50mm and 100mm for all vessels in all conditions, compared to up to three meters surge when using mooring lines’, said David Williams, MoorMaster product manager.

The largest ships moored during the trials were PS Class (346m LOA) vessels, displacing 112,000 DWT. Cavotec and the Port of Salalah are planning to continue testing the MoorMaster 600 on the largest container ships in the world, measuring up to 396m LOA.

Meanwhile, Cavotec has confirmed an order for eight MoorMaster 400 automated mooring units from Denmark’s Nordic Ferry Services A/S. The units will be installed in four ferry terminals at Kalundborg, Kolby Kaas, Boejden, and Fynshav, servicing two newbuild ferries on high frequency passenger route in Danish inland waters. Delivery and installation of the units is scheduled for next year.

The largest ships moored during the trials were PS Class (346m LOA) vessels, displacing 112,000 DWT. Cavotec and the Port of Salalah are planning to continue testing the MoorMaster 600 on the largest container ships in the world, measuring up to 396m LOA.