Swedish company Volvo Penta has begun mass production of a unique automatic mooring technology for boats.
Representatives of Volvo Penta report that installation of the system on new yachts will begin this spring. Later, this technology will be installed on already built boats as part of their modernization. It is noted that vessels with engines of the Volvo Penta IPS family can be equipped with an auto-mooring system.
For the first time, automatic mooring technology was presented by the Swedes in 2018. It is based on: a GPS function, relative positioning sensors, a set of sensors for the berth, a function for adjusting the movement of the boat and system management, as well as software. In addition to the auto-mooring option, the system has a number of other modes: holding the vessel in one position, moving in a straight line, approaching the berth sideways.
The automatic mooring technology is being installed on yachts ranging in length from 10.6 to 36.6 m. Consumers will not be able to purchase the system in the public domain. It will be supplied only to companies that build, repair and maintain yachts.
Some modern ships are equipped with similar systems that make the mooring process easier and more comfortable. For example, Astra Yacht provides BPA (Boat Parking Assistance) technology to customers of its yachts - “boat parking assistant”. Such a system, when mooring in automatic mode, regulates the control of the vessel, taking into account the forces of wind and current.
