With over 30 years in designing and manufacturing mooring equipment, Trelleborg Harbour Marine has released the new Easymoor® Quick Release Hook range of mooring systems specifically designed for high through put ferry and container terminals.
Easymoor® presents a breakthrough by utilising the safety and operational advantages gained from conventional quick release hook design, used to moor large vessels, with further enhancements to suit the special needs of the ferry terminal operator.
Easymoor® provides:
• Faster and safer mooring and securing of vessel mooring lines, while minimising mooring crew requirements achieved by largely automating the mooring process.
• Virtually eliminating manual handling of mooring lines by dock line crew, thereby reducing time to moor and the associated reduction of injury to personnel who must handle and secure mooring lines.
• Faster and safer release of mooring lines eliminating manual mooring line handling.
• Monitoring for high mooring tension while the vessel is moored.
Ships in ports cost money, ships at sea make money
The global drive by ferry operators is to take advantage in economies of scale by operating larger vessels with higher carrying capacity as well as increase the frequency of sailings. This places increased pressure on terminal operators to exercise the operating limits of their mooring facilities and to ensure that the safety and efficiency of their operations are uncompromised.
Easymoor® takes advantage of the principals used in the design of quick release hooks however with a number of enhancements which go toward minimising manpower requirements needed haul in and secure each mooring line. The patented design allows a single operator to use the integral capstan to haul in the mooring line via the split hook guide and integral fair lead, and guide the mooring eye onto the hook.
Release of mooring lines can be achieved by a single dock crew and may be instigated from a local push button release panel located at a safe distance away from the hook. The option for remote release is available whereby the operator can release a number of hooks from one centrally located panel. Safety over release is of prime importance and the Easymoor® control system incorporates security measures to ensure against accidental or inadvertent local and remote release of mooring lines.
Reliability of the equipment which is required to operate at high frequency is particularly relevant at busy ferry terminals, has been carefully engineered in the design of Easymoor®. Easymoor® utilises unique construction methodologies to ensurelow maintenance and high reliability including:
• Use of high corrosion resistant alloy steels and graphite impregnated cast support structures.
• Very high level of weather protection and sealing for electrical components with extensive use of stainless steel enclosures.
• Electrical release actuators, status switches and controllers located off the articulated hook ensuring protection from mechanical damage and exposure to sea water.
