D Type Rubber Fenders for Dock Edges, Pontoons & Workboats
We manufacture D type rubber fenders — extruded rubber with a flat mounting back and a curved contact face, the most widely used dockside protection. They run continuously along a dock edge, absorb berthing impact at a strong reaction force, and install easily: anchored or bolted, and pre-bent, chamfered, drilled, or pre-cut to fit. We supply hollow D-bore, O-bore, and solid profiles in sizes from DD100 to DD500, in natural or synthetic rubber such as EPDM and butyl for ageing resistance, with a service life of 5 to 20 years. We manufacture under ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and ISO 45001 systems and have made marine fenders in Qingdao since 2005.
Where D Type Rubber Fenders Earn Their Place
D type fenders suit dock edges, pontoons, and workboats that need simple, continuous edge protection — provided the size and rubber suit the berthing energy. We use them at ports, harbours, and marinas, on tugs, workboats, and other vessels, and on framed piers and boat ramps where the narrow base fits the structure. We size the profile and rubber from your berthing energy rather than fitting a single section everywhere.
How the fender absorbs energy
The flat back bolts to the dock edge or hull and the curved face takes the contact. As a vessel pushes against it, the D-section deflects and converts the kinetic energy of the berthing into deformation energy, absorbing the impact and spreading the contact force along the edge so neither hull nor structure is point-loaded.
This is simple, low-cost edge protection rather than a high-energy berth fender. Its strength is that it runs continuously, mounts at any angle, and can be cut and drilled to fit; where a berth needs high energy absorption at a controlled reaction, a cone or cell fender is the right type instead.
Why a D fender over a cone or cell. The D-section is the cheap, easy, continuous edge protection for marinas, pontoons, and workboats — pre-bent and cut to the edge, mounted at any angle. The trade-off is low energy absorption; for a high-energy berth taking large vessels, a super cone or super cell rubber fender is the right type.
Marinas & jetties
Continuous edge protection for pontoons, jetties, and small-craft berths, cut and bent to follow the edge.
Tugs & workboats
Hard-wearing rubbing strips along the gunwale and working edges of tugs, workboats, and service craft.
Framed piers & boat ramps
The narrow base fits framed piers and boat ramps, slotting into existing structures where a wider fender will not.
Profiles, Sizes & Indicative Performance
D type fenders come in a range of section sizes and in hollow D-bore, O-bore, and solid profiles. The geometry and mounting hardware are below; the source also lists indicative R and E figures by size, which rise with the section. We confirm the rubber, the units, and the performance against your berthing energy before quoting.
Indicative R / E by size (source figures, units to confirm):
| Model | R (reaction, to confirm) | E (energy, to confirm) |
|---|---|---|
| SD100 | 140 | 2.6 |
| SD150 | 210 | 6.3 |
| SD200 | 279 | 11.2 |
| SD250 | 346 | 17.5 |
| SD300 | 418 | 25.3 |
| SD350 | 476 | 34 |
| SD400 | 595 | 45 |
| SD500 | 745 | 69 |
Geometry & mounting (dimensions in mm and weight in kg, to confirm on the drawing):
| Spec. | A | B | C | D | h | Φ E | Φ F | Flat bar | Bolt | Weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DD100 | 100 | 100 | 50 | 50 | 25 | 40 | 20 | 40×8 | M16 | 8.7 |
| DD150 | 150 | 150 | 75 | 75 | 37.5 | 50 | 25 | 60×10 | M20 | 19.6 |
| DD200 | 200 | 200 | 100 | 115 | 35 | 60 | 30 | 80×14 | M24 | 32.9 |
| DD200 | 200 | 200 | 100 | 100 | 50 | 60 | 30 | 80×14 | M24 | 34.8 |
| DD250 | 250 | 250 | 125 | 125 | 62.5 | 65 | 33 | 90×14 | M27 | 54.4 |
| DD300 | 300 | 300 | 150 | 185 | 40 | 65 | 35 | 110×16 | M30 | 72 |
| DD300 | 300 | 300 | 150 | 150 | 75 | 65 | 35 | 110×16 | M30 | 78 |
| D360 | 360 | 300 | 165 | 165 | 40 | 65 | 35 | 120×16 | M30 | 85 |
| DD350 | 350 | 350 | 175 | 175 | 87.5 | 80 | 38 | 130×16 | M33 | 107 |
| DD400 | 400 | 400 | 200 | 245 | 55 | 80 | 40 | 135×18 | M36 | 128 |
| DD400 | 400 | 400 | 200 | 200 | 100 | 80 | 40 | 150×16 | M36 | 140 |
| D500 | 500 | 500 | 250 | 250 | 90 | 95 | 45 | 160×20 | M42 | 196 |
| DD500 | 500 | 500 | 250 | 250 | 250 | 95 | 45 | 180×20 | M42 | 218 |
A and B are the section width and height, C, D, and h are profile dimensions, Φ E and Φ F are bore diameters, and Flat bar and Bolt are the fixing-strip and bolt sizes. Items we reconcile with the factory: DD200, DD300, and DD400 each appear twice as section variants without a distinguishing label; the model prefixes differ between tables (SD here, DD there); and the DD500 “h” reads 250, equal to C and D, which breaks the trend and looks like a typo. We confirm these on the certified drawing before contract.
The most common sizing mistake. Treating a D fender as a high-energy berth fender. It is edge protection sized to light contact; the source performance is indicative and unlabelled, so for a berth with real berthing energy we confirm the figures or move you to a cone or cell fender rather than over-rely on a rubbing strip.
Know your edge length and vessels?
Send the dock or hull edge, the craft, and the contact — we pick the profile, size, and rubber.
Profiles, Rubber & How They Are Fixed
D-section in three profiles
The fender extrudes the D-section — a flat mounting back and a rounded contact face — in three profiles: a DD type with a D-shaped inner bore, an O-bore type, and a solid type. We supply high-quality rubber, natural for elasticity and abrasion or synthetic such as EPDM and butyl for weather, ozone, and heat-ageing resistance, matched to the service.
It fixes by bolt-through or anchoring, with a fixing-strip insert that stops the bolt pulling into the rubber, and it can be pre-bent, chamfered, drilled, and pre-cut to follow the edge. We confirm the fixing method and hardware with the structure rather than leave it generic.
DD type — D-bore
A D-shaped inner bore tunes the deflection and reduces weight for general edge protection.
O-bore type
An O-shaped inner bore gives a softer, more uniform deflection along the section.
Solid type
A solid section for the most abrasion-prone edges. The source text here is contradictory, so we confirm solid versus bored on the order.
When a Different Fender Fits Better
D type fenders are one option in our wider rubber fenders range, built for simple edge protection. They are not a high-energy berth fender, so here is where something else fits better.
You have a high-energy berth
For large vessels needing real energy absorption at a controlled reaction, a super cone or super cell rubber fender is the right type.
You are fendering a tug bow or stern
For the heavy push-and-pull contact on a tug, purpose-built tug boat fenders or a cylindrical fender suit better than an edge strip.
You have a floating berth
For a floating fender that rises with the tide, a pneumatic fender or foam filled fender suits better.
An honest boundary. The D fender’s qualitative role is clear, but the source performance figures are indicative and unlabelled and there are no temperature or angular factors. For anything beyond light edge protection, we confirm the rubber, the units, and the energy and reaction before contract rather than rely on the catalogue table.
D Type Rubber Fenders — Frequently Asked Questions
What is a D type rubber fender?
An extruded rubber fender with a D-shaped section — a flat mounting back and a rounded contact face — that runs continuously along a dock edge or hull. It absorbs berthing impact and is the most widely used dockside protection because it is simple and cheap to fit.
What profiles and sizes are available?
Hollow D-bore, O-bore, and solid profiles, in section sizes from DD100 to DD500. The geometry, fixing-strip, and bolt sizes are in the size table; we match the profile and rubber to the edge and the contact.
How are they mounted?
By bolt-through or anchoring, with a fixing-strip insert that stops the bolt pulling into the rubber. They mount at any angle and can be pre-bent, chamfered, drilled, and pre-cut to follow the edge.
What rubber are they made of?
High-quality rubber: natural rubber for elasticity and abrasion resistance, or synthetic rubber such as EPDM and butyl for better weather, ozone, and heat-ageing resistance. We choose the compound for the service environment.
How long do they last?
Typically 5 to 20 years, depending on the rubber, the environment, and how often and hard they are used. Seawater, marine growth, UV, and contact with oils or chemicals shorten life, so we match the compound and recommend regular inspection.
When should I use a cone or cell fender instead?
When the berth has real berthing energy from large vessels. A D fender is light edge protection; a super cone or super cell fender delivers high energy absorption at a controlled reaction for a proper berth.
Match the profile to the edge and the contact
A D fender is right when its section and rubber suit the edge it protects and the vessels that touch it. Send us the edge and the craft and we return the profile, size, rubber, and fixing — confirmed, not an unlabelled catalogue figure.
What to send us
6 inputsYou get back: a recommended profile, section size, rubber compound, and fixing method, with the confirmed dimensions for the edge.