Lumut Port optimises new berth fender design

Lumut Maritime Terminal 2 (LMT2) at Batu Undan, Malaysia, is supporting the continued expansion of Lumut Port with a new 396m berth designed to increase cargo-handling capacity and improve terminal efficiency.

The project has involved Lumut Maritime Terminal, contractor MEB Construction Sdn Bhd and ShibataFenderTeam (SFT), which designed and supplied the berth’s marine fender and mooring equipment.

SFT supplied 36 Cone Fender Systems (SPC 1200, G1.0), each fitted with a 2000 x 4320mm closed-box steel panel. The scope also included 37 T-head Bollards, each with a rated mooring capacity of 80 tonnes.

A key element of the project was the review of the original tender design. The initial specification called for a FE Leg Fender System with fenders positioned at 6.5m intervals. SFT’s engineering and sales teams subsequently worked with the project partners to reassess the arrangement against the requirements of the new berth.

The review considered vessel characteristics, berthing conditions, fender spacing, structural reaction loads and the potential for several fenders to engage simultaneously during berthing. This analysis resulted in an alternative design based on SPC Cone Fender Systems with an increased spacing of 12.5m.

The revised configuration was intended to provide a better balance between energy absorption and reaction force, reducing loads transferred into the berth structure while maintaining the required berthing performance. The arrangement also provides a project-specific solution suited to the operational demands of the terminal.

Long-term durability was another consideration, particularly given exposure to the marine environment. Chain assemblies supplied with the fender systems feature a duplex coating designed to provide enhanced corrosion protection.