10 Things to Consider When Buying Pneumatic Fenders

1. Introduction

Pneumatic rubber fenders, also called Yokohama fenders or floating fenders, help protect ships and docks during berthing. These pneumatic rubber fenders float on the water and absorb the energy from ship movements. As a result, they reduce impact and prevent damage. Because of their excellent energy absorption, low reaction force, and ability to float with water level changes, many port operators choose them for ship-to-ship (STS) and ship-to-dock operations.

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2. Key Factors for Choosing the Right Pneumatic Fenders

1. Energy and Reaction Force

When you choose a fender, you must check if it can absorb the ship’s berthing energy. At the same time, it must keep the reaction force low to protect the hull and dock. Engineers usually apply standard formulas along with correction factors for speed, temperature, angle, and manufacturing tolerance. These help ensure the fender performs safely and reliably.

2. Basic Size Guide

To make selection easier, here’s a quick reference table:

Always check the latest data from your supplier, as sizes may vary depending on ship type and berthing speed.

3. Fender Type and Material

According to ISO , pneumatic fenders fall into four types:

• Type I: Chain & Tyre Net
• Type II: Sling Type
• Type III: Rib Type
• Type IV: Rope Net

Each type suits different needs. For example, Type I provides strong external protection with its tire net, while Type II is lighter and easier to handle. These pneumatic rubber fenders usually contain several layers: an outer rubber shell, a tough inner lining, strong reinforcement cords, and built-in flanges with safety valves.

Therefore, always choose high-quality materials. Avoid cheap alternatives made with recycled rubber or poor fabric, as they may wear out faster and pose risks.

4. Match Fender to Ship and Conditions

In addition, consider the ship’s type, size, and berthing location. Water depth, tide changes, wave action, and approach angles all affect fender performance. In ports with big tidal changes, floating fenders like these are a better choice because they move with the water and stay in the right position.

3. How to Arrange and Install Pneumatic rubber Fenders

1. Fender Spacing

To get the best protection, you need to space the pneumatic rubber fenders correctly:

• For ships under 20,000 tons, space pneumatic fenders about 5–10% of the ship’s length apart.
• For larger ships, space them 25–50% of the ship’s length apart.

This layout ensures the hull stays protected across the full contact area. Moreover, proper spacing prevents gaps and reduces uneven pressure.

2. Installation Tips

Before installing, clean the dock surface and prepare anchor points. Then, attach the pneumatic rubber fenders using chains, slings, or brackets, depending on their design.

For large fenders, use pressure gauges and safety valves to control inflation. Also, make sure the fenders sit at the correct height and position, following ISO guidelines. As a result, your system will work better and last longer.

3. Fender Placement Tips

Pneumatic rubber fenders should be placed where the ship is most likely to make contact. For more safety, you can install extra “secondary fenders” at critical points, especially when tide levels or ship drafts change during berthing. This setup helps reduce stress and improves protection.

4. Maintenance and Safety Tips

Good maintenance keeps fenders working well for many years. Here’s what you should do:

• Check air pressure regularly and top it up if needed.
• Look for cracks, wear, or broken parts, especially on tire nets and chains.
• Replace worn-out components right away.
• During storage, keep fenders slightly inflated and away from direct sunlight or heat.

By doing these simple tasks, you prevent damage and avoid costly failures.

5. Conclusion

In short, choosing and installing the right pneumatic fender takes planning. You must consider ship size, berthing energy, water conditions, and how the fender will be used. Once you make the right choice, make sure to install it correctly and maintain it regularly.

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A good fender system will protect your ship and dock for many years. So, take the time to understand your needs and talk to experienced suppliers. If you need help with drawings, technical specs, or product options, feel free to ask — we’re ready to support you.

We know that some recent problems have made some of our customers confused about choosing marine pneumatic fenders. On this occasion, we wrote this guide to help those who do not know how to choose the right marine pneumatic fender.

What is pneumatic fender?

Pneumatic fender, also known as Yokohama fender, is a fender system with high strength and high wear resistance. The common size is: D1.0m x L1.5 ~ D3.3m x L6.5m. It consists of an outer rubber layer, a cord layer and an inner rubber layer vulcanized together. There are end flanges at both ends for inflation purposes. The outer rubber layer is made of strong rubber material to withstand external forces and protect the other layers from abrasion as well as hard usage in bad weather conditions.

The pneumatic fender uses compressed air as a buffer medium to absorb the impact energy of the ship, and makes the ship more flexible and soft when docking, so as to achieve the effect of collision and collision avoidance. Therefore, it is widely used for ship-to-ship transfer operations and ship berthing operations.

What’s the application of the pneumatic fenders?

The fenders are used primarily for two applications: Ship-to-Ship and Ship-to-Dock. For ship-to-ship application, the fenders are used to berth or moor two vessels side by side (double-banking) in port or at sea. For ship-to-dock application, the fenders are used to berth a vessel alongside a dock or wharf.

Ship-to-Ship (STS) Operation

Fenders used in STS transfer operation offshore are divided into two categories:

1. Primary fenders, which are positioned along the parallel body of the ship to afford the max. Possible protection while alongside.
2. Secondary fenders are used to protect bow and stern plating from inadvertent contact if the ships get out of alignment during mooring and unmooring. It is important that secondary fenders are properly secured and it may be necessary to move secondary fenders prior to unmooring if the likely points of contact have changed due to changes in the freeboards of the two ships. Meanwhile, secondary fenders should be light in weight because they must often be hauled well above the waterlines and located in positions with limited access to lifting gear or support points. So it may help if fenders can be moved quickly to counter possible inadvertent contact.

Ship-to-Dock (STD) Operation

Besides being used for STS operation, pneumatic rubber fenders are also used for dock and wharf protection. Compared with traditional solid rubber fenders, pneumatic rubber fenders have perfect energy absorption and soft reaction force. Meanwhile, as floating rubber fenders, they could be adaptable to tide changes. Nowadays, pneumatic rubber fenders are widely used in some large shipyards, docks and ocean platforms.

Quick reference for choosing a suitable pneumatic fender:

In order to calculate a suitable fender arrangement, it is necessary to calculate the berthing energy of a ship which must be absorbed by the fender at the point of contact.

Here is a quick reference for choosing a suitable pneumatic fender:

                            PETROLEUM Equivalent Displacement
Coefficient(C) Relative Velocity Berthing Energy Suggested Fenders Typical Pneumatic
Rubber Fender Tonnes m/s Tonnes.m Quantity D x L (m) 1,000 0.30 2.4 3 or more 1.0 x 2.0 3,000 0.30 7.0 1.5 x 3.0 6,000 0.30 14.0 2.5 x 5.5 10,000 0.25 17.0 2.5 x 5.5 30,000 0.25 40.0 4 or more 3.3 x 6.5 50,000 0.20 48.0 3.3 x 6.5 100,000 0.15 54.0 3.3 x 6.5 150,000 0.15 71.0 5 or more 3.3 x 6.5 200,000 0.15 93.0 3.3 x 6.5 330,000 0.15 155.0 6 or more 4.5 x 9.0 500,000 0.15 231.0 4.5 x 9.0 LIQUEFIED GAS Equivalent Displacement Coefficient(C) Relative Velocity Berthing Energy Suggested Fenders Typical Pneumatic
Rubber Fender Tonnes m/s Tonnes.m Quantity D x L (m) 1,000 0.30 4 3 1.0 x 2.0 3,000 0.30 12 3 1.5 x 3.0 5,000 0.30 24 3 2.0 x 3.5 8,000 0.25 25 3 2.0 x 3.5 20,000 0.25 61 3 3.3 x 6.5 40,000 0.20 74 4 3.3 x 6.5 80,000 0.15 78 4 3.3 x 6.5

Types of Protective Net

Pneumatic fenders can come without a protective net and is usually black in color. Colors can be changed according to customers’ needs. Boomarine usually has 3 types of protective nets.

1. Tire-Chain Net Pneumatic Fender – multiple tires are tied to the ball, and the two ends are tied to a special fly ring that can rotate flexibly. Suitable for large ships.

2.  Rubber Mat-wire Net Pneumatic Fender – a special rubber pad is tied to the sphere, which can be freely contracted or stretched when squeezed Suitable for small and medium-sized vessels.

3. Rope Net Pneumatic Fender – The net cover is woven with nylon rope and tied tightly to the ball. Suitable for small boats.

Summary

Pneumatic fenders can not only be applied to all kinds of ships, but also protect ports and piers. Due to a more evenly distributed load pressure, the torque performance against the dock is usually smaller when compared to conventionally designed solid fender systems. How can you choose a pneumatic fender that suits you? First of all, you have to determine your use environment, and then refer to the introduction of pneumatic fenders above to choose the most suitable fender for you.

If you are still confused about choosing a pneumatic fender, please contact us and we can recommend the most suitable pneumatic fender for you.

Why does Boomarine meet your pneumatic fender requirements?

• All our high-quality pneumatic fenders comply with ISO standards.
• We have 20 years of experience in producing marine fenders. Each finished fender will be carried out inspection by our Q.C before shipping. Our pneumatic fenders design service life is 20 years, our company has a quality warranty of at least 18 months.
• Fast shipping for global deliveries.
• Competitive prices for all types of pneumatic fenders.