Cavotec has landed a major order for its MoorMaster automated mooring technology from mining group Fortescue Metals Group for use at Port Hedland in Western Australia.
Fortescue has ordered 24 MM200D automated mooring units for the Anderson Point 4 (AP4) berth, the company's fourth berth at Port Hedland. The units will moor vessels ranging in size from 174,000DWT to 206,000DWT and are designed to withstand the rugged conditions at the berth, where winds gust up to 30 metres per second.
Due to tidal variations, vessels calling at Anderson Point are only able to sail at specific times. If ships are delayed they risk waiting up to eight hours before being able to sail. According to Cavotec, the MoorMaster units will ensure mooring times are kept to a minimum and thus optimise operational efficiency. The introduction of MoorMaster at the berth will also drive down infrastructure costs because four fewer mooring dolphins will be required to hold vessels in place.
This will be the second berth to use MoorMaster at Port Hedland, where 14 MM200B units are already in operation at the Utah Point iron ore-handling berth. The technology is also being employed at other bulk handling applications in Western Australia.
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, moor and release vessels in seconds. The technology is designed to dramatically improve safety and operational efficiency, and enables ports to make infrastructure savings. It has performed more than 40,000 mooring operations at ferry, bulk handling, Ro-Ro, container and lock applications around the world.
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