An innovative stair fender

Large ships often use rubber tyres for docking or when the crew needs to leave the vessel. Since this is quite risky, RIS and Boskalis decided to roll up their sleeves – or should we say their tyres – and develop a new product: the Stair Fender.

Before elaborating on the Stair Fender, we would like to tell you a bit more about our customer. Koninklijke Boskalis Westminster N.V. is a leading expert in dredging and maritime services. Boskalis delivers innovative and competitive turnkey solutions to its customers in the offshore sector, ports, and coastal and delta regions worldwide. Headquartered in Papendrecht, Boskalis also operates from various offices around the globe. The company is active in 90 countries across six continents.

reducing risks

A SOLUTION-ORIENTED APPROACH

Large ships are often equipped with rubber tyres. These tyres serve to protect the ship during docking or when two ships are moored side by side at sea. They are also used when the crew needs to board or disembark while at sea. Recognising the risks involved, Boskalis and RIS Rubber developed an innovative solution: the Stair Fender.

perfect combination of materials

HOW DOES OUR STAIR FENDER WORK?

Two types of Stair Fender have been developed: small and large versions. The Stair Fender consists of metal plates used to mount the fender onto the ship. Thanks to a smart design, the fenders can be easily swapped out if maintenance is required. Rubber is vulcanised onto these metal plates, and an HMPE slide plate is mounted on top. The rubber absorbs forces generated under load, while the slide plate minimises friction, preventing wear. The design of the Stair Fenders allows them to be installed like a staircase along the side of the ship, enabling the crew to safely board or disembark from the vessel.

safety first

TESTED FOR SAFETY

The fenders also feature an anti-slip profile for added safety. This development aligns well with Boskalis’s NINA safety program, which stands for No Injuries, No Accidents. RIS has modern testing facilities, and the Stair Fenders have been rigorously tested for compression and shear. Under compression, the impact of lateral forces was analysed, with a particular focus on the deformation of the rubber.

SHEAR TESTING

COMPRESSION TESTING

Extra safety through rubber

STAIR FENDERS IN ACTION

The in-house development, combined with our own state-of-the-art testing facilities, enabled RIS to create and manufacture this innovative solution in a short timeframe. These Stair Fenders have already been installed on several Boskalis backhoe dredgers and, where possible, on other Boskalis equipment as well. These Stair Fenders contribute to safety at sea, one of Boskalis’s key priorities. RIS is proud to have been able to employ our expertise to support this important initiative.