Deck machinery advances

In addition to improvements to the design existing types of deck gear, there are now alternatives to traditional mooring winch and rope arrangements

Modern deck gear is more compact and has improved electric and hydraulic drives.

One example of this is the new generation of frequency-controlled electric anchoring and mooring systems developed by Rauma Winch Systems, considered particularly suitable for cruise vessels. Such tonnage commonly carries out mooring operations every 12 hrs, dictating safe, reliable and efficient swift-acting deck gear, notes the Finland-based company which is a member of the Vickers Ulstein Marine Systems group.

Another manufacturer with a modular design concept for mooring winches and windlasses, coupled with worldwide sourcing and manufacture of the key elements, is Ulstein Brattvaag which promises customers cost effective deck gear solutions with guaranteed delivery dates and minimum lead times for ordering.

Shipyards or designers can create an optimised deck machinery configuration for a given application from a database of standard components, if necessary with the support of an Ulstein Brattvaag specialist. Drives can be selected from electric or high or low pressure hydraulic systems.

Some 80 years` experience in designing and manufacturing winches is tapped by Hatlapa of Germany whose current programme embraces mooring, anchor/mooring and towing winches. The machinery can be powered electrically or by low or high pressure hydraulic drives. An electro-hydraulic low pressure (50 bar) system incorporates: a Hatlapa hydraulic motor with a control and speed change valve, and auto tension valve; a spindle-screw type pump unit driven by an AC electric motor; a combined sieve-magnetic type filter with shut-off valve; a change-over cock; a throttle valve for anchor operation; and a pressure tank for oil expansion.

Hatlapa claims to be one of the two leading European manufacturers of low pressure hydraulic winches.

Eliminating traditional cable/rope and winch mooring arrangements, Norent AB`s rod-type auto-mooring system targets tonnage such as ferries whose deployment on a dedicated service involves frequent docking. The Swedish development features a mooring arm and hook attached to a telescopic outer arm which extends to an outer position until it hooks on to a quayside bar.