TRELLEBORG''S RUBBER SPECIFICATION GUARANTEES QUALITY FOR DP WORLD''s FLAGSHIP JEBEL ALI PORT IN DUBAI

Richard Hepworth, President of Trelleborg''s marine operation, says: “We''ve been working on raising awareness of the issue of rubber quality for a while, and it''s brilliant to see this work translating in practical terms in the market.

“DP World wanted to ensure they could verify the quality of the rubber that would be used in the fender systems for the berths – and as such, built rubber quality parameters into the specification to protect themselves from the risk of poor quality substitutes.”

Trelleborg recommended DP World test the final fenders when they arrived on site or before shipping from the production facility, using an analytical test developed earlier this year – and that this is built into all specifications. In this case, DP World randomly selected one or two fenders while visiting Trelleborg''s manufacturing plant in Qingdao, China for further TGA testing to ensure continuity of quality throughout the production process.

Hesham Abdulla, Container Terminal 1 Director, DP World, UAE Region, says: “Trelleborg was able to offer technical support across all parts of the system, from ensuring the rubber element would precisely meet specification, to chains and accessories. Their support and local presence meant that they were a natural choice to supply the project and thanks to their in-house manufacturing capabilities we could even have the solution personalized.”

Personalization included the DP World logo on the unique UHMW PE face pads of the fenders.

Mariam Al Shamsi, Project Manager, Projects Development Department, DP World, UAE Region, said: “The Project is completed and the berth is currently operational”.

Jebel Ali is the world''s largest man-made harbor and the biggest port in the Middle East. As the world''s ninth largest container port, it plays a vital role in serving the global markets.

Trelleborg''s Super Cone fenders (SCN) are the latest generation of ‘cell'' fenders, with optimal performance and efficiency. The conical body shape makes the SCN very stable even at large compression angles, and provides excellent shear strength. With overload stops, the SCN are even more resistant to over-compression.