Project:  QS40 Webb Dock, Melbourne

To help develop a full automated, rope-less mooring control system for a dock in Melbourne, Mooring Systems Ltd called in Christchurch-based Professional Electrics Ltd (Prolec).

As the roll-on, roll-off vessel comes close to the dock, vacuum pads suck the ship into the padded dock.  Automatically these pads ‘walk’ vertically or laterally, across the ship to compensate for loading changes, tide and wind shifts.

When the pads maximum ‘walk’ is reached air is released so the pads can move a very small distance, then a vacuum is created again, air is released, pads walk, vacuum created, and so on.

Mooring Systems Ltd came up with the idea, and engaged Prolec to develop the electrical and software components.  As a result manpower is reduced, safety is increased and the whole process is automated.

Professional Electrics Limited – or Prolec, was formed in 1992 with the amalgamation of several well established electrical companies working in the Christchurch area, and it is this combined experience of management and practicality within the staff which forms a very strong and diverse team, enabling them to consider roles of this nature.

Prolec’s philosophy is to meet their client’s needs in terms of competence, quality and service with an ongoing commitment with post contract requirements.  Prolec also has a staff training policy and recruitment programme which reflects the high work standards expected to be achieved by their staff.

Prolec’s strategy is to seek work from the top end of its market, whether this work is in New Zealand or overseas.  It also looks for work that is out of the ordinary or demands lateral thinking.

The QS40 Webb Dock project certainly required lateral thinking, and thus Prolec met both its strategic and philosophical goals by providing competence, quality, service and commitment in a demanding project.

The judges were impressed with the overall standard of excellence in all of the competition criteria – technical features and innovation, quality, management, training, commercial skills and industry service and awarded Prolec not only the Rockwell Industrial New Automation Award, but also pronounced Prolec the clear overall winner of the Contact Energy Ecanz Excellence Award 2005.