Patent ID: 12006646

Abstract:
A fender for fending a ship from a mooring wall comprises a hydraulic cylinder and piston assembly arranged so that compression of the fender is translated into a force to move the piston in the cylinder. Valves couple the hydraulic cylinder to reservoir that is at least partially filled with gas. An overpressure valve allows hydraulic liquid to flow from the cylinder to the reservoir when the fender compression force exceeds a threshold, allowing the fender to be compressed. When the force drops away, a return valve allows hydraulic liquid to return to the cylinder, causing the piston to move to expand fender, following movement of the ship away from the fender. In this way oscillating motion is reduced. A plurality of such fenders may be combined with mooring cable holding devices with a similar mechanism that pays out cable when the movement of the ship from the mooring wall cause the force on the mooring cable to grow. Energy generated from such forces may be used to reduce movement of the ship.