Cavotec shore power
A port systems innovator has won what it claims to be the world’s first order for a combined automated mooring and shore power system.
The Cavotec MoorMaster automated mooring system and Alternative Marine Power (AMP) electrical supply systems will be installed at two Norled ferry berths in western Norway which will service the world’s first fully battery powered ferries berthing at Lavik and Oppedal.
Sigvald Breivik, technical director, Norled, said: “The extent of technical innovation and system integration of this project shows how port operations can be made dramatically more sustainable and efficient.”
Cavotec’s MoorMaster units are operated by Cavotec hand held radio units operated from the bridge of the vessel.
The units signal to the AMP system when the ship is secure and a laser guides AMP connector to connect to the ship’s battery to begin charging.
This means that the ferry’s propeller system can be turned off for a full nine minutes during boarding.
With 6,000 port calls being made annually on the Lavik to Oppedal route the air quality and fuel cost savings are considerable for both the ferry berths and the ferry operator.
MoorMaster is already in use at ferry terminals in Denmark and a further one in the Netherlands is due to enter service in 2014.
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