A New Zealand maritime manufacturer has secured a major contract to supply anchors to a Norwegian salvage company.
Stuff.co.nz reports that the family business Coppins Para Sea Anchors, based in Motueka on the South Island, has sent the first of two one-tonne sea anchors to Norway.
Aimed at countries with coastlines trafficked by oil tankers or large freight ships, the anchors are used when ships have lost power at sea. They can hold large vessels and point them into the wind to prevent them breaking up.
According to Marine Link, the anchors were developed in collaboration with Norwegian-based company Miko Marine. They underwent extensive testing in New Zealand and, where larger competitors’ systems failed, they made it through all trials.
“This is one of the most challenging projects we have worked on in the last 40 years,” said Bill Coppins, general manager of the company.
“It has tested our technology and resources to create such a lightweight but strong para sea anchor system that can be flown by helicopter. We are very excited and proud to be involved with the ShipArrestor system.”
According to stuff.co.nz, the anchors are dropped onto vessels by helicopters and can even be deployed in instances where the crew have abandoned ship.
They feature an arresting chain which wraps around parts of the ships’ superstructures, as well as an underwater parachute which holds it facing the wind until a tug boat can be deployed.