Balltec, a UK-based ball and taper connector specialist, has won a contract from Houston-based Sofec for the design, manufacture, testing, and delivery of twelve MoorLOK subsea mooring connectors.
Balltec said on Friday that the connectors, which would be subject to ABS certification, were rated to 922 mT end of life minimum break load with a design life of 16 years.
The company added that the mooring connectors were scheduled for delivery in September 2018.
The MoorLOK connectors will be used to moor a vessel for approximately 16 years in a water depth greater than 1,000 meters.
Each anchor line of the vessel is made up of polyester rope with sections of studless chain at the connections to the vessel and the piles. The MoorLOK connectors when installed will connect the mooring lines to the piles.
The company describes its MoorLOK connectors as the world’s only patented ball and taper subsea mooring connector with over 300 connectors in service which has the ability to be disconnected at any time during its service life in the event of mooring line maintenance or replacement.