Trelleborg to supply smart rope free mooring system to Port of Langnas

Feb 20, 2019

Many ports and terminals are looking towards automated technologies to cope with increased demand and compete effectively in today’s complex, global landscape. The benefits of terminal automation lie in increased reliability, safety and efficiency both in scheduling and throughput. However, 45% of all container vessels are currently delayed by over eight hours upon arrival. Additionally, there are a multitude of ports worldwide that experience demurrage charges from vessel operators waiting offshore due to berth availability delays.

When it comes to automated mooring technology, there is certainly room for improvement and the need for a superior solution to raise port efficiency. In AutoMoor, we’re providing the industry with an enhanced option, unlike any other currently available, that promises to achieve exactly that.

Developed following several years of customer consultations and recently successfully trialled at the Port of Melbourne in Australia, AutoMoor uses smart technologies to enable a faster berthing process and improve safety levels within the port environment. Using vacuum technology to rapidly attach to and secure a vessel at berth, Trelleborg’s rope-free automated mooring system reduces vessel motions and continuously monitors all mooring loads acting on the vessel at berth. This provides live data to the operator to optimize day-to-day port and terminal operations. It also minimizes personnel involvement to reduce human error and improve safety.

AutoMoor is also intended to help ports and terminals become more environmentally efficient, because vessels can be secured in under a minute and released in 30 seconds. This reduces vessel idling time and lowers the time tug boats are required alongside the vessel until the mooring operation is complete, cutting emissions overall.

That said, I am delighted to reveal that Trelleborg’s marine systems operation will supply AutoMoor to the Port of Langnas’ international cruise ferry and domestic ro-ro ferry berths. The Port of Langnas is situated in the Baltic Sea on the archipelago of Aland, which has intensive ferry traffic between Sweden and Finland via Aland.

Developed specifically for the use at the Port of Langnas, Trelleborg’s AutoMoor T40 Twin Arm has two mooring arms that can operate in synch or independently to provide flexible mooring of vessels with varying hull profiles. This enables ports to accept a greater range of vessel types which has been a limitation of the offerings currently available on the market. The AutoMoor T40 Twin Arm also has a compact footprint allowing for installation in limited spaces including between gantry rails and the wharf edge.

We are happy to have the first milestone completed of a long relationship ahead with Port of Langnas. Thanks to AutoMoor, we are sure that Langnas, an early adopter in the industry, will benefit considerably given their remarkably high frequency of operations serving the leading operators in the maritime sector.

I’ll leave you with some words from Ronny Eriksson, CEO at the Port of Langnas: “The port’s international cruise ferry berth alone accommodates nearly 3,000 vessel moorings per year. The majority of which are some of the most advanced cruise ferries worldwide with sizes ranging from 34,000GT to 66,000GT and between 165 to 230 meters in length. Given what is a significantly high volume for just a single berth, it was vital that we upgraded both berths in the port to ensure they continue to sustain such a high vessel throughput. With that in mind, it was essential that the upgrade saw the adoption of automated mooring systems to facilitate quick, safe and reliable mooring operations.”

“Through the use of AutoMoor at Langnas, ship operators such as Viking Lines, Tallink-Silja and Finnlines, will be able to manage crew rest periods more efficiently while reducing onboard personnel and operating costs. Trelleborg certainly didn’t disappoint with their AutoMoor system, which I’ve no doubt will prove its worth in optimizing mooring operations at the berth moving forward.”

Trelleborg’s AutoMoor solution falls under the operation’s SmartPort portfolio. SmartPort powers the critical interface between ship and port, on land and at sea. It connects port operations, allowing operators to analyze performance and use data to improve decision making. The system integrates assets like fenders, mooring equipment, ship performance monitoring, and navigation systems, underpinned by cloud and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies.

For more information on Trelleborg’s AutoMoor solution, visit: http://www.trelleborg.com/en/marine-systems/products–solutions–and–services/docking–and–mooring/automated–mooring–systems/automoor