Smart Bollard

What is a Smart Bollard?

The Smart Bollard, while akin to a traditional bollard on a ship or dock bollard, boasts advanced features that set it apart. Primarily situated on quays, this innovative dock bollard continuously measures the load on mooring lines, by detecting structural movement due to tension in these lines. This invaluable data can be accessed by port authorities, terminal operators, and even the vessels themselves. The versatility of the Smart Bollard means it's suitable for diverse seagoing vessels, encompassing container and bulk carriers. 

Why a Smart Bollard?

Previously, the challenge was the inability to measure the load on mooring lines accurately. This meant that ports had to always consider maximum mooring loads. Both the Port Authority and Terminal Operator need precise insights into the mooring forces, especially during adverse weather conditions marked by high waves, intense currents, and strong gusts. Excessive loads can lead to rope breakages, potentially causing a ship to drift away from the quay, risking severe accidents. Herein lies the value of the Smart Bollard. This bollard ship technology enhances safety by offering a real-time perspective of mooring line loads, further clarifying our understanding of mooring forces. Its advanced MoorControl software system offers lucid insights to Terminal Operators, Port Authorities, and vessel owners through comprehensive data display and storage. As vessels grow in size and weather patterns become more unpredictable, these insights into mooring loads become increasingly pivotal. 

By monitoring and collecting data from these loading dock bollards, port operations become more streamlined, and potential hazards with moored vessels are substantially reduced.

A comprehensive dashboard, a feature of the Smart Bollard, captures and logs essential data for in-depth future analysis: 

• Bollard pull 
• Line direction and angle 
• Tide levels 
• Weather metrics 
• Vessel history (via AIS data) 

An intuitive interface ensures system administrators can seamlessly add users and activate alarms. An inclusive API allows easy data access for integration into varied systems. This data remains readily available for the Port Authority, terminal operator, and vessel operators. 

Benefits of the Smart Bollard

The Smart Bollard provides an array of advantages: 

• Enhanced Safety: Utilising live load monitoring and predictive force assessments, the safety of operators and assets is reinforced. 
• Operational Efficacy: The bollard offers a comprehensive insight into mooring forces across various conditions, enhancing vessel manoeuvres. 
• Understanding Quay Capabilities: Acquire a more profound understanding of quay capacities, potentially facilitating the mooring of larger vessels. 
• Efficient Use of Resources: Informed decisions might reduce the reliance on expensive resources, such as tugs. 
• Continuous Evaluation: The collated data is crucial for continuous port developments and the ongoing improvement of operations and protocols.