WG33 to PIANC Fender Guidelines 2024: A seismic shift in safety standards
Marine fender systems are not just components of berthing structures, but they are the linchpin that ensures the smooth operation of ports worldwide. As vessel sizes increase, their role becomes even more critical. A fender failure during a collision or heavy berthing can have severe repercussions on a port's performance, profitability, and reputation. In this context, the fender industry is at the forefront of ensuring maritime safety and operational efficiency.
Port operators and consultants may struggle to discern the merits of competing solutions without expert guidance, potentially jeopardizing operations. This is where PIANC's latest Fender Guidelines 2024 step in as a resource, steering stakeholders towards best practices that ensure ensure safe, reliable, and durable fender systems for both vessel and berth. The new guidelines focus on the real-world performance and impact of fender systems. By doing so, these guidelines play a key role in safeguarding the global maritime infrastructure.
PIANC Fender Design Guidelines 2024: A Paradigm Shift in Fender Design
The new guidelines highlight various aspects of fender design, including fender types, performance criteria, materials, and installation methods, incorporating expert knowledge and global best practices. The document focuses on fender systems for seagoing vessels, especially those assisted by tugboats or equipped with thrusters, which are usually guided by a pilot and perform controlled berthing maneuvers. It offers a more detailed and accurate representation of the physical berthing process than its predecessor, WG 33 as well as comprehensive recommendations for selecting the appropriate fenders based on vessel characteristics, berthing energy, and environmental conditions rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Berthing velocity, due to its uncertainty, is identified as the most critical factor for designing fenders. WG 211 emphasizes placing more reliance on the durability of the rubber component than on the supporting structure, advocating for a holistic design approach for marine infrastructures that integrates the fender system as an essential component, rather than treating it as an isolated element. It strongly recommends using site-specific information for design purposes and consulting with local experts like pilots, harbourmasters, and tug masters. The guidelines highlight that using local data can result in smaller fenders than those determined by WG 33, while ignoring it may lead to overdesigned fenders.
Enhanced sustainability considerations
Featuring a dedicated chapter on sustainability, PIANC Fender Design Guidelines 2024 emphasize the importance of integrating sustainability and environmental considerations into the design of fenders. Using recycled rubber or composite materials and adopting cutting-edge technologies that reduce energy consumption and waste production are not just encouraged—they are advocated as fundamental to informed decision-making processes.
This approach not only aligns with the current environmental mandates but also sets a precedent for future design protocols. It serves as an opportunity to redefine standards in fender design, ensuring that sustainability becomes a core component rather than an afterthought.
Shaping the trajectory of industry standards
PIANC Fender Design Guidelines 2024 serve as a call for port operators, designers, engineers, contractors, and other stakeholders in the maritime industry to pivot towards a future-focused design ethos for fender systems to uphold the integrity and safety of port facilities and vessels.
Given the comprehensive changes, port operators will be at the forefront of this transition. Adhering to these new guidelines will not only improve safety and reduce operational risks but also ensure a more resilient and secure fender system in line with contemporary industry standards. This transition calls for the industry to internalize the philosophy WG 211 epitomizes - one that prizes innovation, sustainability, and performance alongside our tradition of safety and reliability