New extreme foot controls for ship and port technology

As a manufacturer of switchgear for extreme and complex applications, steute provides customers with its own range of offshore products especially developed for use in offshore, ship and port technology. Features of our devices include saltwater resistance, a robust construction, the necessary approvals and - where appropriate - Ex versions.Product photo: Extreme-foot switch for mooring-systems

This product portfolio contains for example the offshore version of our GFSI foot control (fig.). The metal housing of this switching device is extraordinarily robust. A protective guard prevents accidental actuation, while various switching inserts mean that the switch can be adapted to individual applications. The housing, made of saltwater-resistant aluminium with stainless steel screws and mounted parts, is designed for reliable operation at sea and/or in ports. In their Ex-protected version, these foot controls can be used in gas-Ex zones 1 and 2, as well as dust-Ex zones 21 and 22.

A typical application for this product is the electromechanical actuation of winches controlling docking lines in ports, as well as the releasing of mooring hooks. A winch reeling in the docking line can be started and stopped using one foot control; with a second foot control, the mooring hook attached to the anchor chain can be released - either to put the ship out to sea or because the chain needs to be freed quickly in a storm.

The use of highly robust foot controls, tried and tested in extreme applications, guarantees absolutely reliable operation of mooring hooks in such an application. As an alternative, wireless foot controls using radio technology, also tried and tested in many other extreme applications, are additionally available. This comparatively new technology means greater flexibility when positioning the switchgear. And it eliminates the risk of power and signal cables becoming damaged in the rough environment of a port.