Port of Trelleborg undergoes expansion

The Port of Trelleborg, Scandinavia’s largest RoRo port, is currently undergoing an expansion and relocation project to the Southeast.

This initiative aims to reduce manoeuvring time and enhance vessel safety. The construction of berths 11 and 12 aims to move ferry traffic away from the central area of Trelleborg, providing significant environmental benefits.

Once completed, the port will be able to safely accommodate vessels up to 240 metres in length.

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During peak season, passenger and RoRo ferries use the berths extremely frequently, creating a significant requirement for high-performance fenders and durable designs.

Working in partnership with PEAB, ShibataFenderTeam designed and delivered 12 sets of Pile Fender Systems, each of them consisting of two Element Fender (FE 1450×1000 millimetres (mm), G3.1) and one exceptionally large closed box panel (2620×13315 mm).

Pile Fender systems are uniquely designed for each project to cover all the individual vessels and berthing requirements. For this one, the in-house engineering team considered: 

• Line load impacts over the entire length of the panel—as the ferries are equipped with beltings—developing a customised 13,315 mm long one-piece steel panel designed to withstand them. Using the correct load cases for the panel calculations is crucial because otherwise, considerable deformation or damage to the panels can occur. The large size came with a significant weight: each panel weighs 15 tonnes.

• The high stability and resistance to shear forces that Pile Fenders needed to offer due to the side berthing requirements. To ensure reliability and optimal performance, the customised design incorporates not only tension chains but also shear chains into the fender system.

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Logistical challenges arose due to the panels’ dimensions and weight which ShibataFenderTeam’s sales and logistics teams addressed to ensure that the different items were delivered on time.

Last month, the Port of Salalah announced that its $300 million expansion plan is on track, aiming to expand annual container handling capacity from 5 million to 6 million TEU by the end of the year.