Publish Time: 2026-09-05 Origin: Site
If you work around ships, ports, or offshore transfer operations, you may hear the term “Yokohama fender” used for the large black inflatable fenders floating between ships or between a ship and berth.
But what exactly is a Yokohama fender?
In industry conversation, the term is often used informally to describe a floating pneumatic rubber fender. Strictly speaking, however, Yokohama is a brand name, so not every pneumatic fender should be described as a genuine Yokohama-branded product.
The generic engineering term is pneumatic fender or floating pneumatic rubber fender.
These fenders use compressed air as the primary cushioning medium and are widely used for:
ship-to-ship transfer
tanker operations
offshore berthing
temporary berths
ports with large tidal variation
ship-to-quay protection
This guide explains how pneumatic fenders work, the main types, common size considerations, and what buyers should check before ordering one.
What Is a Yokohama Fender?
How Does a Pneumatic Fender Work?
Main Parts of a Pneumatic Fender
Net Type vs Sling Type
What Do 50 kPa and 80 kPa Mean?
What Sizes Are Available?
Where Are Pneumatic Fenders Used?
Pneumatic Fender vs Foam Fender
How Do You Choose the Correct Size?
What Should Buyers Check Before Ordering?
FAQ
“Yokohama fender” originated from the development and commercialization of pneumatic rubber fender technology associated with Yokohama Rubber.
Over time, the expression became widely used in parts of the marine industry to refer to floating pneumatic fenders more generally.
From a procurement perspective, however, it is better to distinguish between:
Yokohama-branded pneumatic fender
A product supplied under the actual brand.
and
Yokohama-type / pneumatic rubber fender
A generic product category manufactured by other suppliers.
CMR supplies pneumatic fenders for marine applications, including products commonly searched for using terms such as pneumatic marine fender and Yokohama-type fender.
A pneumatic fender is essentially a reinforced rubber body filled with compressed air.
When a ship contacts it, the fender compresses.
The enclosed air pressure increases as volume decreases, creating a reaction force that slows the relative movement between vessel and berth.
This allows the fender to absorb berthing energy.
The basic process is:
ship approaches → fender compresses → internal air pressure rises → energy is absorbed → fender recovers
One reason pneumatic fenders are useful is that they can provide substantial energy absorption while maintaining a large contact area against the vessel.
Because the fender floats, it can also follow changes in water level.
This makes it especially suitable for operations where:
tide changes significantly
vessels have different freeboards
fenders need to be relocated
ship-to-ship contact occurs offshore
Although it looks simple from the outside, a pneumatic fender has several functional layers.
The outer layer protects against:
abrasion
seawater
weather
external wear
Internal reinforcement helps the body retain its shape and resist internal pressure.
The inner layer helps retain compressed air.
Depending on the size and design, end fittings provide connections for inflation, towing, lifting, or attachment.
Larger net-type fenders are commonly surrounded by a chain-and-tyre network.
The net protects the rubber body from direct abrasion and repeated hull contact.
CMR notes that larger pneumatic fenders can be fitted with chain-type protective nets.
High-pressure pneumatic fenders are commonly divided into two practical configurations.
A net-type fender uses a protective network around the rubber body.
The network may incorporate:
chains
wire
rubber sleeves
tyres
This configuration is useful where the fender will experience heavy abrasion.
Typical applications include:
tanker berths
ship-to-ship operations
offshore transfer
heavy commercial use
A sling-type fender does not use the same external tyre-chain net.
Instead, the fender body is suspended using suitable lifting and mooring arrangements.
This reduces external hardware and can be appropriate where operating conditions and vessel surfaces favor a cleaner external profile.
The selection should follow the actual application rather than assuming that one design is always superior.
High-pressure pneumatic fenders are commonly specified with nominal initial internal pressure classes such as:
P50 — 50 kPa
P80 — 80 kPa
These values refer to the initial internal pressure under specified conditions.
They are not simply “more air is better.”
For the same nominal fender dimensions, increasing pressure generally changes both:
energy absorption
reaction force
So an 80 kPa fender may provide greater energy capacity, but the corresponding reaction and hull pressure also need to be acceptable for the vessel and berth.
The correct pressure class should therefore be selected as part of the fender design.
Pneumatic fenders are specified primarily by:
diameter × length
For example, a smaller fender might be roughly 1 m in diameter, while large ship-to-ship fenders can reach several meters in diameter and many meters in length.
The correct size is not selected from vessel length alone.
Relevant factors include:
vessel displacement
berthing energy
ship-to-ship geometry
allowable hull pressure
reaction-force limits
operating freeboard
tidal range
number of fenders
fender spacing
A longer or larger-diameter fender generally provides a larger contact area and greater energy capacity, but it also changes handling and installation requirements.
This is one of the best-known applications.
During STS transfer, two vessels remain alongside each other while cargo is transferred.
Pneumatic fenders maintain separation and absorb relative movement.
Large liquid-cargo vessels can require high-energy fender systems with controlled hull pressure.
Floating pneumatic systems are frequently used where flexibility is important.
Because they float and can be repositioned, pneumatic fenders can support temporary berth arrangements.
A fixed dock fender remains at one elevation.
A floating pneumatic fender follows the water surface, helping maintain a suitable contact position when tide changes.
Pneumatic fenders can also be suspended or floated along berths where their performance characteristics suit the project.
These two floating fender types can look similar but work differently.
Feature | Pneumatic Fender | Foam Fender |
|---|---|---|
Energy medium | Compressed air | Closed-cell foam |
Inflation required | Yes | No |
Buoyancy | Air-filled body | Foam core |
Pressure inspection | Required | Not applicable in same way |
Damage behavior | Air retention matters | Foam core remains buoyant |
Typical use | STS, tanker, temporary berths | Ports, offshore, ship-to-ship |
A foam fender may be attractive where operators want to avoid internal air-pressure maintenance.
A pneumatic fender can be highly effective where high energy absorption, floating operation, and portability are important.
CMR supplies both pneumatic and foam fender systems, so the decision can be based on application rather than treating them as interchangeable products.
Start with engineering conditions, not a catalogue diameter.
A heavier vessel carries more kinetic energy at the same berthing velocity.
Energy is strongly affected by velocity.
Even a relatively small change can materially change required fender performance.
In ship-to-ship applications, several fenders may share the load.
A fender must not create unacceptable local pressure on the ship.
Waves, swell, wind, and current can create continued relative movement after initial contact.
The design needs to distinguish between:
ship-to-ship
ship-to-quay
temporary operation
permanent installation
A pneumatic fender inquiry should provide more than:
“Please quote 3.3 × 6.5 m.”
A useful specification should identify:
nominal size
pressure class
net type or sling type
required standard
guaranteed energy absorption
reaction force
hull pressure
safety valve requirements where applicable
chain/net arrangement
certification or inspection requirements
vessel application
ISO 17357 is an important reference for floating pneumatic rubber fenders, including material, performance, dimensional, testing, and inspection requirements.
For a specific project, buyers can review CMR's Pneumatic Fender range and provide operating conditions for technical selection.
The term is commonly used that way in industry conversation, but Yokohama is a brand. The generic category is floating pneumatic rubber fender.
Compressed air is the primary cushioning medium.
P50 generally refers to a pneumatic fender with a specified initial internal pressure of 50 kPa.
P80 refers to the 80 kPa pressure class. It generally provides different energy and reaction characteristics from a comparable P50 fender.
Tyres and chain nets can protect the fender body against abrasion and repeated contact.
Yes. STS transfer is one of their major applications.
A “Yokohama fender” is best understood as part of the wider floating pneumatic rubber fender category.
Its value comes from a combination of:
high energy absorption
floating operation
large contact area
adaptability to changing water levels
portability
But the correct fender cannot be selected simply from a vessel's length or from a familiar size used on another project.
Diameter, length, pressure class, reaction force, hull pressure, and operating conditions need to be considered together.
Explore CMR's Pneumatic Fender products or contact CMR with vessel and operating data for project-specific selection.