An exclusive market report by Trelleborg Marine Systems has shown that an overwhelming majority (81%) of port owners, operators and consultants surveyed believe that having a safer port environment directly contributes to reducing costs.
Conversely, only 9% of those surveyed actually expect future port investments to be made specifically in the area of safety, suggesting that integrated or full service docking & mooring equipment solutions are what the market is asking for.
Richard Hepworth, managing director of Trelleborg Marine Systems , said of the results: “With new developments taking place in this space – for example, laser docking technologies – we are likely to see safety levels increasing and ports benefiting from increased operational efficiencies too. The market is expecting more from port-side systems, so the need for truly bespoke, integrated solutions is coming to the fore.”
Richard Hepworth continued: “Integrated solutions should firstly be tailored to the needs of the port; but should also consider the combination of values that are considered important by the wider market, and as such, provide a package of products, services and technologies that function effectively as a whole, meeting the needs of both the port and its customers.”
As suggested by the data, a safer port environment means fewer incidents, less downtime and ultimately, less avoidable expenditure. By implementing bespoke, fully integrated solutions, it’s possible to maximise operational efficiencies without compromising safety. Where possible, design and specification of mooring and monitoring systems should be developed and agreed between supplier, contractor and owner to ensure operational requirements are fully addressed.
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World Maritime News Staff, January 26, 2012; Image: Trelleborg Marine Systems