Smart Bollard

What is a Smart Bollard?

At its core, a Smart Bollard is akin to a traditional dock bollard permanently positioned on quays. Its distinguishing feature is its capability to measure the loads exerted on mooring lines. This is achieved by detecting and converting the structural movements caused by the tension in the mooring line. This data becomes invaluable for entities such as the port authority, terminal operators, or the ship itself. Smart Bollards cater to a broad spectrum of seafaring vessels, from container to bulk carriers. 

Why a Smart Bollard?

Historically, accurately measuring load on mooring lines posed challenges. Ports, in the absence of precise data from moored ships, had to work with assumptions based on maximum mooring loads. This is where the bollard's significance in shipping comes to the fore, particularly during adverse weather conditions marked by high waves, potent currents, and gusty winds. Overburdened lines risk snapping, which can lead to the ship dislodging from the dock bollard, with potential accidents as a consequence. 

Introducing Smart Bollards to this scenario transforms the landscape. They elevate safety standards by offering real-time insights into mooring forces and load dynamics. The MoorControl software suite further enhances this by providing all stakeholders, including terminal operators, port authorities, and vessel owners, with comprehensive data. This leads to port operations becoming more streamlined and efficient, especially when accommodating larger vessels or navigating stormy weather. 

Keeping an eye on the data from Smart Bollards can make port operations more efficient and reduce risky situations when ships are berthed.

A user-friendly dashboard shows and stores key details like: 

• Bollard load 
• Line direction and angle 
• Tide levels 
• Weather metrics 
• Vessel history (sourced from AIS data) 

The system dashboard, user-friendly in its design, allows administrators to incorporate users and define alerts effortlessly. Through an integrated API, data from the bollard ship setup can be imported into diverse systems, ensuring the port authority, terminal, or vessel operators are always in the loop. 

Benefits of the Smart Bollard

The Smart Bollard provides an array of advantages: 

• Improved Safety: Through real-time load monitoring and predictive force analysis, the safety of operators and assets is bolstered. 
• Operational Efficiency: The bollard provides a thorough understanding of mooring forces in diverse conditions, optimising ship movements. 
• Quay Capacity Insights: Gain a deeper comprehension of quay capabilities, potentially allowing for larger ships. 
• Resource Management: Evidence-based knowledge may decrease the need for costly resources, like tugs. 
• Ongoing Analysis: The gathered data proves essential for ongoing port improvements and the continuous refinement of operations and procedures.