How to Extend Its Lifespan Without Sinking in the Attempt
Our port facilities are essential for international trade and economic growth. It’s no secret that these infrastructures are exposed to factors that accelerate wear and tear, leaving them vulnerable to potential breakages and/or leaks.
In this context, proper maintenance is necessary to extend their lifespan.
Wear Factors: The Heart of the Matter
There are several external elements that can affect the overall wear and tear of port facilities.
✱Weather conditions: High and low temperatures, rain, wind, and water are enemies of port structures. These factors can accelerate corrosion and deterioration of materials such as steel and concrete.
✱Impacts and abrasion: Ships, when docking or departing, generate repeated impacts. These impacts, combined with the forces of wind and waves, are responsible for the physical wear of docks, pilings, and fenders.
✱Loading and unloading: The constant movement of heavy loads in ports generates vibrations and pressure, which over time can cause structural damage.
The Key Role of Dock Fenders and Bumpers
To mitigate the impact of ship maneuvers and reduce dock wear, dock fenders and bumpers play a critical role by absorbing the impact of vessels, thus reducing damage to both other ships and the dock.
✱Dock fenders: Rubber structures installed at the front of the docks that absorb the impact energy when a ship docks, offering high resistance to abrasion and corrosion. It is crucial that they are custom-designed to fit each space and need and that they are of excellent quality to ensure greater durability, lower risk of damage, and less investment in repairs.
✱Bumpers: These are protections installed on the dock to prevent ships from directly colliding with the structure. Made from durable materials, they are strategically placed to protect the dock from direct impact damage. In addition to serving as physical barriers, they also help guide vessels to the correct docking position. It is very important that they are strategically placed and made from top-quality materials that can withstand various levels of impact without breaking.
Better to Prevent Than to Cure
Although the initial cost of installing these types of linings may seem high at first glance, not everything is as it seems.
Initially, it all depends on the size, complexity of the port, the type of appropriate defense, and the quantity. However, analyzing a standard example with medium size and complexity, we can say that a dock without any defense or with outdated/low-quality defenses can result in a cost exceeding $300,000 USD in structural repairs (not counting the additional costs due to port downtime during repairs, which could extend for several weeks).
On the other hand, if we make a standard estimate (also for medium size and complexity), the approximate costs of installing a high-quality dock defense system can range from $90,000 to $150,000 USD.
Not to mention that these defense systems are designed to last for years, ultimately resulting in long-term savings.
It’s not just about protecting what is already there but ensuring that the port remains a vital part of the logistics chain for many more years to come.
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