Mooring & Berthing

How 'plug-ins' can optimise TOS operations and fill the gaps left where operators are left to make complex decisions in little time

Exclusive interview with Peter Selwyn of Navicom Dynamics in which he covers sound port operations and Navicom's offerings

A paper which highlights the safe and efficient mooring and berthing of vessels from Navicom Dynamics, highlighting contemporary issues and the Portable Pilot Unit

The main challenge for the Port of Antwerp is to monitor 15,000 incoming and outgoing vessels per year in one of the busiest and largest harbours by surface area in the world. To allow for safe and secure ship movements, they have appointed partners of choice, Tein Technology, who have a proven track record in deploying unified surveillance solutions in the maritime sector. Tein delivered high-tech CCTV cameras and network to complement the the Port of Antwerp's radar systems, as well as developing interfaces for the entire monitoring platform operating from one control centre.

Having a situational awareness of marine environments has always been a challenge for ports, harbours, canals and lock systems and was only possible with very large and expensive survey vessels and/or dive teams. However, that has all changed with the development of a light-weight survey vessel that is able to capture 3D data above and below the water surface. This article looks at how these 3D mapping vessels are making it possible for facilities managers to make more informed decisions, reduce risk and lower their maintenance costs.

Sheet piles, used as retaining walls, wharfs, and piers, are typically made of unprotected carbon steel (CS). This type is affordable and the general corrosion rate (wastage) is predictable. Despite the long and successful use of CS sheet pilings, there are reports of localised corrosion of CS pilings that have been identified as microbiologically influenced corrosion (MIC) ie. corrosion that is a result of the presence and activities of microorganisms.

A brief overview of the principal structural forms available for embedded retaining walls including steel and concrete piling elements, and lesser utilised materials such as plastic. The key benefits and limitations of each relating to strength, durability and construction techniques for port applications are also discussed.

Across the world, there is an increased demand for advanced simulator-based tools that can assist tug operators and ports in determining the best type, size, number of tugs and the strategies to be used for a given tug operation.

Combinations of maintenance and corrosion management approaches have been adopted by Newcastle Port Corporation (NPC) for its wharf and berth structures including doing nothing in some cases. The age of NPC's wharf and berth structures varies from 32 to 63 years. Some are therefore at or beyond their designed lives. However, decades of future service lives are required of the structures.

The safe mooring of a ship is of utmost importance. The mooring process however appears to be the forgotten link in the nautical chain. This became evident when the European harbour masters decided to make a video about strengthening the whole nautical chain through a greater awareness of all its links.

Demand for Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) is rising, particularly in the residential and commercial sectors of developing and more developed countries. The use of cleaner liquid and gaseous fuels is expected to continue to increase as populations grow and total demand for energy in these regions rises proportionally. At the same time, oil and gas prices have risen to historic levels improving the economics of liquefied gas resulting in stronger transportation demands for LPG. With a number of LPG transportation projects already in the planning stage, many more are expected in the coming years.

From the 1960’s onwards, there have been continually evolving developments in the size and complexity of oil and gas carrying vessels. This has resulted in the need for terminal owners to pay far more attention to potential risk factors when planning to handle these larger ships.