Cavotec’s automated mooring technology, MoorMaster^TM, has been selected by Australian mining company, Karara Mining, for use at its dedicated iron ore handling facility at the Port of Geraldton in Western Australia. “Safety and sea conditions are the two major considerations with this project; issues that MoorMaster is uniquely equipped to handle,” says Cavotec CEO, Ottonel Popesco. Karara Mining has ordered 12 MoorMaster MM200D units, for use at its dedicated bulk handling facility at the Port of Geraldton to minimise the serious safety risk of mooring lines parting. All MoorMaster MM200D units are specially designed for use at bulk terminals.

Situated some 400 km north of Perth, the Port of Geraldton is one of Australia’s busiest regional ports. The Port has historically been one of Australia’s larger grain export ports and today, more than half the port’s exports are generated from minerals and iron ore.

MoorMaster is a vacuum-based automated mooring technology that eliminates the need for conventional mooring lines. Remote controlled vacuum pads recessed in, or mounted on, the quayside, moor and release vessels in seconds. The system offers improved safety, improved operational efficiency and the potential for infrastructure savings.

MoorMaster is also in use at two other bulk handling applications in Western Australia. Fourteen MoorMaster MM200B units have recently been commissioned at the Port Hedland Port Authority, and Cavotec has recently delivered eight MM200D units to Hamersley Iron, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto, for the Dampier Fuel Supply Wharf in the Port of Dampier.

MoorMaster is an increasingly accepted and widely adopted technology that has performed more than 40,000 mooring operations, with a 100% safety record, at ferry, bulk handling, Ro-Ro, container and lock applications around the world.