Genoa – As a giant of the sea approaches, it seems to get bigger and bigger. It is a 400-meter-long container ship, about to complete its maneuver in the Genoa Prà port channel before gently resting against the dock and mooring.
In all this, there are people – the mooring men – dealing with heavy ropes to be retrieved from the water and secured to the bollards, being careful not to get hit by the lines, especially when they are put under tension. SHIPPING ITALY was alongside a team of mooring men to witness the delicate mooring maneuver and discover up close the workings of the Shore Tension System, unique in Italy, which allows for continuous monitoring of the mooring system, a tool that will become even more important with the new port layout.
Flavio Bertorello, president of the Gruppo Antichi Ormeggiatori del Porto di Genova, in an interview explains how under the Lanterna the mooring men’s profession is undergoing a phase of profound transformation. Today there are 70 active mooring men, up from 64 last year, testifying to a constant growth in the required services. The construction of the new outer breakwater required a strengthening of the workforce and a modernization of the fleet, with the introduction of specific nautical vessels. “It was a considerable commitment – explains Bertorello – which forced us to become even more professional.”
But there are no shortage of difficulties. “Climate change and adverse weather conditions – continues Bertorello – will be the real challenge of the coming years.” Added to this is the need to always guarantee maximum safety in an ever-evolving port, where the coexistence of large construction sites and commercial traffic makes everything more delicate. Our service is continuous, 365 days a year, even with rain, wind, and rough seas. It is a job that requires professionalism, attention, and also good physical stamina.”
