Vessel Types Relevant to Berth Structures and Propulsion Actions

Transverse thruster availability, characteristics and use vary largely by vessel type. While bow thrusters are standard equipment on cruise, car and container vessels, they are less common equipment on bulk carriers.

Typically, berth structures are designed for a certain design vessel or at least for a certain vessel type. Since different vessel types can have very different bow thruster characteristics (such as percentage of vessels in that vessel category or class that are equipped with bow thrusters, their size, power, current velocity, etc.) there is also an implicit relationship between type of berth structure and thruster use at that berth. A solid berth structure for example, will have very different design requirements for thruster impacts if the intended use of the berth will be primarily by cruise ships as opposed to by bulk carriers.

As part of the design process, an assessment will need to be made whether there is sufficient information and long-term certainty about vessel use at the berth, or whether it’s appropriate to ‘overdesign’ in order to have more flexibility regarding future types of vessels using the berth. The designer should also consider the option of designing for the current fleet but with an arrangement so that the structure can be modified in an economical way for more severe conditions should new vessels be introduced. In this context it can also be noted that the existence of quay features such as stern ramps and loading machinery in relatively fixed positions may limit the area over which the structures are subjected to the severest conditions. The designer must then take care that all possible present and future uses of the berths are considered before providing different levels of protection in different parts of the structure. Consider, for example, a berth for a drive-through Ro-Ro service where vessels normally berth stern-in but may have to berth bow-in in special circumstances.

(Quoted from PIANC-Guidelines for protecting berthing structures from scour caused by ships)

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