Floating unit or terminal
Pneumatic Fenders · ISO 17357-1:2014
Pneumatic Fenders: Construction Types, Pressure Classes and Sizes
Air-filled floating fenders for berths where the fender must float free and keep hull contact pressure low. Work through the type, pressure class and size questions below, then continue to the page that matches your berth or vessel.
Where pneumatic fenders fit
What a Pneumatic Fender Is, and When It Is the Right Choice
A pneumatic fender is a floating fender with a reinforced rubber body inflated to a specified initial internal pressure, normally 50 kPa or 80 kPa. As a hull pushes against it, the body deflects, the air charge compresses, internal pressure rises, and berthing energy is absorbed while a controlled reaction force is returned to the hull.
In common market terminology the same product is often called a Yokohama-type fender; the term is used here descriptively and is not a JettyGuard trademark or a claim of equivalence to any particular manufacturer's product.
Pneumatic fenders suit berths where the fender floats at the interface and the contact pressure the hull can accept governs the selection: vessel-to-vessel transfer, a carrier alongside a floating unit, and jetty berths where a compliant, low-hull-pressure interface is required.
- 01Fixed-quay boundary — Where the fender can be fixed to a quay face and the reaction force and structural load path govern the design rather than hull contact pressure, a panel-and-rubber system is often the better engineering answer.
- 02ISO 17357-1:2014 sets material, performance and dimensional requirements, together with test and inspection procedures used to verify a supplied fender.
- 03Pneumatic fenders work in hull-to-hull and hull-to-berth service alike, so the deciding factor is the floating, low-pressure interface rather than what sits on the other side.
- 04Still deciding between air-filled and foam-filled buoyancy? Work through the comparison page below before sizing anything here.
How the Air Charge and the Rubber Body Work Together
01
Two published values describe what a given fender does. Guaranteed energy absorption (GEA) is the energy the unit takes at its rated deflection. Reaction force at GEA is the load it returns at that same point.
02
Hull pressure at GEA converts that load into contact pressure applied over the hull contact area, which is the figure the vessel side of the interface has to accept.
03
The body carries that load through layers, not through a single thickness of rubber. An inner rubber layer holds the air. Multiple rubberised tyre-cord plies laid at an angle to each other carry the tension.
04
An outer rubber cover protects the cords from seawater, ozone, heat and abrasion. Steel flanges at the ends carry the air inlet valve and, on larger units, the safety valve.
05
If the open question is the air-filled mechanism against foam-filled buoyancy, continue to the pneumatic fender vs foam-filled fender comparison page.
Pressure class
50 kPa or 80 kPa: What Changes When You Raise the Pressure Class
Initial internal pressure is fixed when the fender is designed and ordered, not tuned to suit a berth later; in service it is checked and restored to the specified value.
Raising the class from 50 kPa to 80 kPa increases energy absorption from the same body dimensions, but it raises reaction force and hull pressure with it.
Energy comes first; reaction force and hull pressure are then checked against the limits already fixed for the berth and receiving vessel.
Because test pressure and safety-valve setting follow the class, state the class on the purchase order.
| 3300 × 6500 mm | 50 kPa class | 80 kPa class |
|---|---|---|
| Guaranteed energy absorption (kNm) | 1,814 | 2,532 |
| Reaction force at GEA (kN) | 3,015 | 3,961 |
| Hull pressure at GEA (kPa) | 146 | 191 |
| Safety valve setting (kPa) | 175 | 230 |
| Test pressure (kPa) | 250 | 300 |
Application routing
Pick the Application That Matches Your Berth
Use the selection guidance above to narrow the engineering choice, then continue to the application page for the berth or vessel interface you need to specify.
The Project Data That Decides Fender Size
Size does not follow from a vessel name. It follows from the berthing calculation for your specific berth or vessel pair. Before a size can be proposed, these inputs are needed:
| Project input | What to provide |
|---|---|
| Vessel and contact area | Vessel displacement and the hull contact area available at the fender line. |
| Approach and energy | Approach velocity and berthing angle, or relative motion between two floating hulls; energy to be absorbed, including the abnormal-berthing factor in the project specification. |
| Reaction and hull pressure limits | Maximum reaction force the berth structure or receiving hull can accept, and allowable hull contact pressure for the vessels calling. |
| Stand-off, operating envelope and arrangement | Required stand-off at full compression; tidal range, draught range and freeboard variation; and how many fenders share the load along the parallel body. |
Configuration choice
Net Type or Sling Type: What to Check Before You Order the Rigging
Set the arrangement against abrasion, contact duration, call frequency, lifting capacity, deployment frequency and the maintenance plan for chains, shackles and swivels.
- Net typeISO 17357-1:2014 separates net-type fenders, where a protective net is fitted over the rubber body, from sling-type fenders. Net material may be chain with tyres, wire, or synthetic fibre, depending on size.
- Sling typeSling-type fenders carry no net and are handled through integral slings. Check abrasion exposure, contact duration and deployment frequency before choosing the bare-body arrangement.
- Handling load and accessory scopeFor a 3300 × 6500 mm unit in the 50 kPa class, the published body weight is 1,870 kg and the chain net 2,570 kg; body and net weights vary by ±10%. Confirm the net specification, chain grade, and shackle and swivel ratings before the order is placed.
Mould-Type or Wrapped-Type Body: Questions to Put to Your Supplier
In the mould-type route the body is built and vulcanised as one piece inside a steel mould. In the wrapped route it is built over a pre-vulcanised bladder without a mould. Use the evidence checklist below rather than accepting a general construction-quality claim.
ISO 17357-1 reference data
Representative ISO 17357-1 Standard Sizes at 50 and 80 kPa
Seven standard sizes across the range show how energy and reaction force scale with diameter and length. These are reference values, not a selection for any berth.
50 kPa
50 kPa pressure class
| Diameter × Length (mm) | GEA (kNm) | RF (kN) |
|---|---|---|
| 500 × 1000 | 6 | 64 |
| 1000 × 1500 | 32 | 182 |
| 1500 × 3000 | 153 | 579 |
| 2000 × 3500 | 308 | 875 |
| 2500 × 5500 | 943 | 2,019 |
| 3300 × 6500 | 1,814 | 3,015 |
| 4500 × 9000 | 4,752 | 5,747 |
Hull pressure at GEA runs from 122 to 158 kPa across the 50 kPa standard sizes.
80 kPa
80 kPa pressure class
| Diameter × Length (mm) | GEA (kNm) | RF (kN) |
|---|---|---|
| 500 × 1000 | 8 | 85 |
| 1000 × 1500 | 45 | 239 |
| 1500 × 3000 | 214 | 761 |
| 2000 × 3500 | 430 | 1,150 |
| 2500 × 5500 | 1,317 | 2,653 |
| 3300 × 6500 | 2,532 | 3,961 |
| 4500 × 9000 | 6,633 | 7,551 |
Hull pressure at GEA runs from 160 to 208 kPa across the 80 kPa standard sizes.
Standard sizes begin at 500 × 1000 mm; the largest listed standard size is 4500 × 12000 mm. Body and net weights vary by ±10%, and project values must be taken from the test certificates for the units supplied rather than from any catalogue table.
Standards, Inspection Scope and the Documents You Receive
ISO 17357-1:2014 specifies the material, performance and dimensions of floating pneumatic rubber fenders, together with the test and inspection procedures used to verify them. It does not cover the safety practices and regulatory limits that apply when the fender is in use at a berth; those stay with the operator.
01
Offered construction
State the ISO 17357-1:2014 type, whether the body is mould-type or wrapped-type, and whether bead rings and cord turn-up are used at both flanges.
Yokohama pneumatic fender specifications
02
Prototype and batch evidence
Provide applicable prototype qualification evidence for the offered design, size and pressure class, plus test and inspection records covering the production batch in the order.
03
Materials and safety valve
State inner and outer rubber thickness, hardness and tear strength, the inner flange steel grade and, for diameters of 2500 mm and above, safety-valve setting and discharge capacity.
04
Construction boundary
ISO 17357-1:2014 requires bead rings and cord turn-up in clause 6.1.6 for Type II sling-type fenders, but allows them to be excluded for Type I net-type fenders.
ISO 17357 pneumatic fender standard
05
Comparative construction evidence
A comparative study of 3300 × 6500 mm units found 8.50 N/mm adhesion for moulded samples against 5.11 and 4.73 N/mm for two wrapped samples, and 5 mm inner rubber thickness against 2.88 mm and 1.84 mm.
06
Inspection scope
Prototype testing qualifies a design; commercial-unit testing and independent inspection are set for the order. BV, DNV, ABS, Lloyd's Register and CCS identify inspection societies, not endorsement or standing certification.
OCIMF STS fender requirements
07
Documentation
Dimensional check, air-leakage and pressure test results, material test records and performance test certificates agreed for the project file.
Complete pneumatic fender size chart
08
Rigging and accessories
Confirm net specification, chain grade, and shackle and swivel ratings against the handling equipment before the order is placed.
Marine rigging gear and fender accessories page
09
Supply statement
JettyGuard supplies pneumatic fenders produced under JettyGuard's quality control, built to our design and engineering calculations, and conforming to ISO 17357-1:2014.
FAQ
Questions We Are Asked After the Size Is Chosen
Can a size outside the standard range be supplied?
Yes. Sizes outside the standard list, including non-standard diameter-to-length ratios, are available on request and are reviewed case by case. To have one assessed, give the energy to be absorbed, the maximum reaction force and hull pressure allowed, the space available at the fender position, and the test and inspection scope you need.
What pressure has to be maintained in service?
The fender is kept at the initial internal pressure of its class, 50 kPa or 80 kPa. Under-inflation and over-inflation both move performance away from the certified curve.
How often should fenders in service be inspected?
There is no single interval; set it in your maintenance plan according to how hard the berth works the fenders. Each inspection should cover internal pressure, valve and flange condition, the rubber surface, and wear on the net, tyres, chains, shackles and swivels.
Specification review
Send Your Berth and Vessel Data for a Specification Review
Partial information is normal at an early stage. Depending on the data supplied, a review can identify a candidate size and pressure class range, indicate the rigging options that suit your handling equipment, and outline the test and inspection scope likely to be needed to support your documentation.
Your project details are read by an engineer before any quotation is prepared.