PORTS & HARBOURS

Largest ever MoorMaster order in Europe

13 years ago

Switzerland headquartered global engineering group Cavotec secured a significant order last week for its MoorMaster automated mooring technology at a new bulk handling application in Norway.

The project has a substantial financial value in that it is the largest single MoorMaster order in Europe to date.

Cavotec is to supply 18 MoorMaster 200B units for international minerals group LKAB’s new iron ore berth in Narvik, northern Norway, on behalf of the PEAB construction and civil engineering group.

The scope of the order includes manufacture of the mooring units, installation and comprehensive technical support. The units will moor bulk carrier ships of up to 185,000 DWT and 305m LOA.

“This order has great significance for the Cavotec Group. It is the very first of its kind, and largest so far in Europe, says Ottonel Popesco, Cavotec CEO.

“It also shows that customers are seeing the substantive safety, operational and even environmental benefits of MoorMaster automated mooring.”

This is the first MoorMaster bulk handling application in Europe, and the first located within the Arctic Circle. As such, the MM200B units for this project will be built to withstand the harsh winters and demanding operational conditions common to its location.

The technology is already in use at three bulk handling berths in Western Australia, where it is delivering substantial improvements in operational efficiency and safety.

MoorMaster is also used at frequent-use passenger ferry, container handling, Ro-Ro and lock applications around the world and Cavotec is also seeing interest in the technology for offshore applications.

The LKAB facility at Narvik ships 15-20 million tonnes of iron ore every year. The MoorMaster units will ensure vessels will be moored quickly, safely and remain in position to ensure fast and efficient loading operations.

MoorMaster is a vacuum-based automated mooring technology that eliminates the need for conventional mooring lines. Remote controlled vacuum pads recessed in, or mounted on the quayside or pontoons, moor and release vessels in seconds.

A single person operates the system via a hand-held radio remote control unit, either on shore or on board ship.