Guidelines for Dock Fender Selection

There are many service factors which must be taken into consideration when making a decision on which type and size of fender is best suited for a given application:

• type of pier structure,
• type and size of vessel,
• berthing velocity of vessel,
• method of berthing,
• sea currents,
• wave action.

Some of the most common applications of the various types of fenders are as follows:

Cylindrical Fenders are normally used where tidal conditions and flexible mounting is desired. Cylindrical fenders are usually suspended on a chain for easy installation.

Cylindrical Fender

Cylindrical Fenders are simple to install and operate which makes these units an economical solution for remote locations and for multi user berths...

Rectangular / Square Fenders are normally used where rigid mounting is desired. For example on tugs, or where tidal conditions do not exist and berthing is at a low angle.

Rectangular / Square fenders are also used in combination with wood facing on light concrete structures where the load imparted to the dock structure must be kept low. The wood facing spreads the berthing impact over the surface to avoid concentrated loads on any one point.

Square Fender

Square Rubber Fenders offer similar advantages to D fenders and are typically used where a stiffer fender is required. Square Rubber Fenders...

D Shape and M Series Fenders are normally used on tugs or barges. Their cross sections are designed for solid mounting and complete coverage as well as high energy absorption.

D Fender

D Fenders can be pre-curved, chamfered and drilled to aid installation at a relatively low cost and can also be cut to the length required ...

Tug Fender

Tug fenders must work harder, for longer and under more adverse conditions than any other fender type. Tug fenders can be divided into three main types...

Wing type dock fenders are used with or without timber facing. Wing type fenders are engineered to efficiently utilize more of the elasticity naturally inherent in rubber. They may be used for solid mounting and for complete coverage on tugs and barges.

Wing Fender

JIER Wing Type Rubber Fenders are developed on the basis of D Type Rubber Fenders. They can be fixed with double line anchors which greatly ...

Note: A physical property of rubber is that it has to be “broken in”. On the initial compression of a rubber fender, the load required for a given deflection is relatively high. During this first compression the rubber molecules re-align themselves. For subsequent compression cycles, the load to deflect the fender a given amount will be less than the first compression and will remain consistent throughout the life of the fender. The data used for the load and energy curves on the following pages was developed from fender samples that were broken in.