A mooring robot releasably fastening a first moveable object (S) to a second
nearby
object. The first moveable object (S) moves in response to the application of external
forces to the object (S). The robot operates to restore the first object (S) to
a predetermined operating position. With the particular reference to the mooring
of a vessel (S), the mooring robot has attractive attachment element(s) fixable
to a ship's hull and includes a movement unit with active three-degree-of-freedom
translation, for controlling the position of the attachment element(s). The movement
includes a restorative means associated with each of the two degrees of translation
freedom in the horizontal plane which provide a restorative force acting to return
the attachment element(s) to the predetermined operating system.
