Traditional mooring lines and bollards have been used to secure ships in ports for thousands of years. But when they fail, the consequences can be catastrophic.

In the five policy years leading up to 2021, the International Group of P&I Clubs members were notified of 858 injuries and 31 fatalities that occurred during mooring operations.

With the advent of larger ships and more extreme weather due to climate change, higher mooring loads means such failures are likely to increase. Fortunately, a range of new automated mooring systems could provide port operators with the answer to making their infrastructure safer and more resilient.