Fenders are critical to bringing ships alongside a berth in a safe and efficient way. They feature in all ports and on all types of vessels, and although they may appear simple from the outside, they are anything but that on the inside.
“Up until just a couple of years ago, fenders were seen as a commodity product,” says Mishra Kumar, Business Unit Director responsible for fender R&D technology and innovation at Trelleborg. “However, the status of fender technology has significantly improved lately. Now the industry regards fenders as highly engineered products rather than just lumps of rubber.”
It is impossible to tell the quality of a fender from the outside. Recent research conducted by Politecnico di Milano, a renowned test facility in Italy, revealed that approximately one-third of fenders tested did not meet performance requirements.
“The Politecnico evaluated fenders from five different brands, including Trelleborg,” says Marco Gaal, Technical Director Marine Fenders Technology and Innovation. “All our fenders passed testing parameters, but some of the fenders from other brands did not.”
Testing is vital to validate performance claims against design parameters. Trelleborg has cooperated for many years with the world association for waterborne transport infrastructure, PIANC, to help regulate fender quality.
The association recently released its latest Fender Guidelines 2024. “Notably, the revised guidelines include a section focusing on fender testing, outlining specific testing types and protocols as well as pass and fail criteria,” Gaal explains.
“It’s imperative that any reputable supplier adheres to the latest PIANC guidelines,” says Kumar. “However, at Trelleborg we surpass these standards.”
“Up until just a couple of years ago, fenders were seen as a commodity product,” says Mishra Kumar, Business Unit Director responsible for fender R&D technology and innovation at Trelleborg. “However, the status of fender technology has significantly improved lately. Now the industry regards fenders as highly engineered products rather than just lumps of rubber.”
It is impossible to tell the quality of a fender from the outside. Recent research conducted by Politecnico di Milano, a renowned test facility in Italy, revealed that approximately one-third of fenders tested did not meet performance requirements.
“The Politecnico evaluated fenders from five different brands, including Trelleborg,” says Marco Gaal, Technical Director Marine Fenders Technology and Innovation. “All our fenders passed testing parameters, but some of the fenders from other brands did not.”
Testing is vital to validate performance claims against design parameters. Trelleborg has cooperated for many years with the world association for waterborne transport infrastructure, PIANC, to help regulate fender quality.
The association recently released its latest Fender Guidelines 2024. “Notably, the revised guidelines include a section focusing on fender testing, outlining specific testing types and protocols as well as pass and fail criteria,” Gaal explains.
“It’s imperative that any reputable supplier adheres to the latest PIANC guidelines,” says Kumar. “However, at Trelleborg we surpass these standards.”
