ShipLaunching
Blog

Technical insights

Field-tested guides on ship launching airbags and marine fenders — how the equipment is sized, used and maintained.

What drives the cost of ship launching airbags
AirbagsProcurement
6 min read

What drives the cost of ship launching airbags

A rubber airbag is not priced like a commodity. Diameter, layer count, quantity and certification move the number far more than the rubber itself — here is where the money actually goes.

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Airbag launching vs slipway vs dry dock: which method fits
AirbagsLaunching methods
6 min read

Airbag launching vs slipway vs dry dock: which method fits

There are three common ways to get a finished hull into the water. Airbags win on flexibility and low fixed cost — but not everywhere. Here is the honest comparison.

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How to size a Yokohama pneumatic fender: a worked example
ISO 17357Fenders
7 min read

How to size a Yokohama pneumatic fender: a worked example

Fender size starts from berthing energy, never from the catalogue. Work the energy first, then pick a fender with margin — with the reaction force and hull pressure checked at the same time.

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When to choose foam-filled fenders over pneumatic
FendersFoam-filled
6 min read

When to choose foam-filled fenders over pneumatic

One question settles most foam-versus-pneumatic decisions: what happens when the skin gets cut. If the answer has to be 'it keeps floating and working', you are looking at foam.

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Marine fender selection: matching the fender to the berth
ISO 17357Fenders
7 min read

Marine fender selection: matching the fender to the berth

The right fender is a property of the berth, not the catalogue page. Vessel range, tide, approach angle and how often ships call decide more than the fender's headline energy rating.

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How to repair a ship launching airbag
ISO 14409Airbags
6 min read

How to repair a ship launching airbag

A field-repair overview for marine rubber airbags — assessing damage, sanding to the cords, patching and vulcanising a leak back to working condition.

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Sizing ship launching airbags: the basics
ISO 14409Airbags
7 min read

Sizing ship launching airbags: the basics

How airbag quantity and working pressure are worked out from a vessel's weight and contact length, and why the bursting-pressure margin matters.

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Pneumatic vs foam-filled fenders: which to choose
ISO 17357Fenders
6 min read

Pneumatic vs foam-filled fenders: which to choose

Both float and absorb berthing energy — the difference is what's inside, and it decides maintenance, damage tolerance and where each fits best.

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