Fender System Problems in U.S. Ports

Marine fender systems at U.S. ports are subject to significant damage resulting in high repair costs and other operating difficulties. The problems resulting in this damage are identified and categorized with their usual causes. Seven major fender system problems are defined and ranked in order of relative seriousness. Timber fender system problems are rated more prevalent/severe than rubber systems. The most serious problem is high berthing energy, followed by fender system wear, and deterioration by marine organisms. Fender system improvement design objectives are established and priorities, based primarily on annual repair costs, assigned to each of the objectives. Nearly three‐fourths of the total annual repair costs are spent on simple timber pile fender systems. General cargo facilities account for the greatest total expenditure for repairs and facilities which handle both ships and barges have the second greatest share. Fender system annual repair costs and replacement costs, on a per unit length basis, as obtained from the survey of American Association of Port Authorities' members, are presented.