World's First Automated Mooring & AMP System by Cavotec
Cavotec has won a unique order to engineer and manufacture fully integrated MoorMaster™ automated mooring and Alternative Maritime Power (AMP) electrical supply systems for two Norled frequent-use ferry berths in western Norway, servicing the world’s first fully battery powered ferries.
The automated AMP and MoorMaster™ systems will be installed at the Lavik and Oppedal passenger ferry berths, and used by the world’s first fully battery powered, catamaran-hulled ferry, run by Norwegian ferry operator Norled.
The 80m-long ferry will have capacity for around 120 cars and 360 passengers, and will make 17 crossings of the Sognefjord daily.and is scheduled to enter service in 2015.
Cavotec say that the level of automation in this application is unprecedented. The MoorMaster™ units will be operated by Cavotec hand-held radio remote controls by the ship’s captain from the bridge of the vessel. The mooring system will signal to the AMP unit when the ship is secure, and a laser sensor will then guide the AMP connector to a hatch in the side of the vessel, connect to the ship’s battery and start charging.
By using MoorMaster™ the ferry’s propeller system can be switched off for nine minutes during each 10-minute boarding process, giving more than sufficient time to connect to the Cavotec AMP system and charge the on-board batteries.
With around 6,000 port calls made annually on the Lavik-Oppedal route, the air quality improvement and fuel cost savings compared to using conventional mooring and power systems is considerable.
www.cavotec.com