ShibataFenderTeam and PIANC organized seminar in Argentina about fender system design

More than 60 participants followed the invitation to learn more about fender system design and port equipment during a one day seminar in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The seminar was organized by ShibataFenderTeam in cooperation with PIANC Argentina.
A comprehensive program, expert opinion and a fruitful exchange between all participants were the basis for a successful day.

Starting early morning at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Sebastian Garcia, Civil Engineer and Secretary of PIANC Argentina started the day with an introduction of PIANC and the many activities PIANC is offering its members.

Afterwards, Juan Minvielle, CEO of Conisa and representative of SFT in Argentina gave a brief overview of fender systems in Argentina and Uruguay being designed and manufactured by ShibataFenderTeam, followed by a two part presentation by Eduardo Rodero, SFT Senior Sales Engineer and responsible for Latin America. While the first part focused on ‘Testing, specification and compound’, the second part continued with a case study about ‘Optimization of fender solutions by explaining a sample of multiple fender contacts’.

The rubber unit is a crucial component of the system, but is only as good as the overall design of the system. Since the rubber units are mostly standardized in the industry, the main engineering and design challenge is with the steel panels, chains and the corresponding anchorage. This topic was discussed in detail by Guillermo Noguera, Civil Engineer at Ingenieurbüro Roßburger. Simple issues like incorrect chain angles or the positioning of the rubber unit on the steel panel and substructure could lead to premature failure of the fender system as a whole. When fenders fail or are not working properly due to low quality or incorrect designs, then there is a cost to the port in terms of repair, downtime, or even accidents which should not be underestimated.

The seminar day was rounded up by presentations from Bob Lee (Lee Composites) about ‘Fiberglass pile and sheetpile for ports and marinas’, and from Arthur Briggs from Mampaey Brazil who shared insights about ‘Berthing, Mooring and Towing Systems’ with the participants.

All steps of fender design go hand in hand and influence each other. This fact emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to fender system design in the industry and an experienced manufacturer to ensure reliable, safe and efficient operations for ports.
The seminar in Argentina vividly illustrated the many topics that need to be taken into account for a durable and high-quality approach to fender system design. It is one of many being organized by ShibataFenderTeam Group (Germany, Indonesia, USA & Singapore). Their aim is to share expertise and best practice examples of a holistic approach to fender system design. Based on the positive feedback of the participants, it is a valuable approach to educate the industry.

The cooperation with PIANC proved once again to be mutually satisfactory with the next joint activities already being planned.