Dolphins

Oil Terminal
Rotterdam-Europoort
JOB 0184 / 03.02 / TMH
General
The oil terminal in the Benelux harbor
of Rotterdam-Europoort was construc-
ted to improve the supply of crude oil
to the Shell refinery.
The dolphins were designed for an
envisaged water depth of 24.5 NAP
and for vessels with a maximum capa-
city of 300,000 dwt. Such vessels have
the following overall dimensions:
· length approx. 350 m
· width approx. 55 m
· draft (loaded) approx. 22 m
To protect the unloading platform two
outer and two inner dolphins are pro-
vided consisting of 4 and 3 steel piles
respectively; they are designed for an
energy absorption capacity of approx.
500 tm and 330 tm respectively.
The tanker is tied up on six single-pile
mooring dolphins which are driven
into the shore banks and designed to
withstand up to 150 t hawser force
each.
In the foreground, three-pile berthing dolphin
in the background, four-pile berthing dolphin
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Description of the berthing
dolphins
Two outer dolphins:
each consisting of four steel piles
having:
· 1,620 mm OD
· 46.6 m (47.8 m) length
· 53 mm wall thickness in the max.
stressed section
· 52 kg/mm2 min. yield strength for
steel grade D 53 applied in the max.
stressed section
· 73.2 t (74.4 t) pile weight
· 18.8 m driving depth
Two inner dolphins:
each consisting of three steel piles
having:
· 1,620 mm OD
· 43.3 m (45.5 m) length
· 49 mm wall thickness in the max.
stressed section
· 52 kg/mm2 min. yield strength for
steel grade D 53 applied in the max.
stressed section
· 63.7 t (64.9 t) pile weight
· 16.5 m driving depth
Energy absorption capacity of the
berthing dolphins:
The required energy absorption capa-
city in tm was calculated according to
the formula:
E = 1/2 · w/g · v · CM · CE · CS
where 2
r
vr being the velocity of the ship
perpendicular to the berthing
structure. It was assumed to be
15 cm/sec. for a 300,000 dwt
tanker.
CM being a mass factor equal to
1.8. It takes into consideration
the hydrodynamic and stopping
effect which the wash and water
friction exerts on the ship.
CE being an eccentricity factor
equal to 0.7. It accounts for the
position of the impact point on
the ship at the moment when
the vessel touches the frame
structure.
CS being a “softness factor” assumed
to be 0.9. It takes into considera-
tion the reduction of the impact
energy depending on the features
of the vessel and fendering in
reciprocal interaction.
Substituting above data in given for-
mula the required energy absorption
capacity for a 300,000 dwt tanker
amounts to approx. 400 tm. For safety
considerations, however, the dolphins
were oversized to stand up higher
impact energies.
The outer dolphins are designed
for an energy absorption capacity of
455 tm and 745 tm when stressed to
80% and 100% of the yield strength
respectively. The maximum deflection
of the outer dolphins at the level of
impact amounts to 1.72 m at 80%
yield strength and 2.58 m at 100%
yield strength. The max. impact forces
for the outer dolphins are equal to
529 and 654 t respectively. The spring
constant for the outer dolphins being
approx. 300 t/m.
The inner dolphins are designed
for an energy absorption capacity of
320 tm and 470 tm when stressed to
80% and 100% of the yield strength
respectively. The max. deflection of the
inner dolphins at the level of impact
amounts to 1.70 m at 80% yield
strength for a maximum impact force
of 378 t. Accordingly, both outer and
inner dolphins reveal the same maxi-
mum deflection rate, thus meeting
the requirement on the inner dolphins
to attain their loading limit simulta-
neously with the outer dolphins.
 The individual piles of each dolphin
are connected together by means of
box girders which transmit the impact
force uniformly on each pile.
Torsion moments arising from eccen-
tric impact are transmitted uniformly
on the single piles of the dolphins by
means of torsion bars mounted at the
top of the box girders.
nections for cathodic protection,
which are to be installed later.
The box girders are painted in the
same manner as the dolphins. Merely
the walking areas of the upper decks
are provided with a non-skid Ferrox
layer.

Construction of the four-pile outer berthing To manipulate the capstan and quick
dolphin release hook, a service platform is
connected to the box girders by tubu-
lar legs.

Hawser shield tubing prevent jamming

of hawsers on the protruding corners
of the fender panels.

The service platform is provided with

access walkways to the unloading
platform. The platform can also be
reached from the water by means of
a ladder.

Single-pile mooring dolphin

Design description of the
superstructures of the berthing
dolphins:
The impact force is exerted first on a
wide fender panel and then transmit-
ted by means of a vertical positioned
hinge bearing to the box girder. The
fender panel of the outer dolphins is
covered with square (30x30 cm) azobe
hardwood beams and has a total area
of 20 m2. At an impact force of 529 t
a surface pressure of 26 t/m2 is exer-
ted on the hull of the vessel.
Increasing the load up to 100% of the
yield strength at an impact force of
654 t the surface pressure is according-
ly increased to approx. 33 t/m2.
The vertical hinge bearing ensures that
even for an oblique approach the fen-
der panel has full contact with the hull
of the vessel. Lord rubber elements
bring the fender panel back to its ori-
ginal position as soon as the stress is
relieved.
Six mooring dolphins designed
for 150 t hawser pull each (for an
admissible stress of 80% the yield
strength)
each dolphin having:
· 2,020 OD
· 24.5 m length
· 21 mm wall thickness in the max.
stressed section
· 3.66 t/cm2 min. yield strength for
steel grade X 52 to API Std 5 L
applied in the max. stressed section
Corrosion protection:
All dolphins, except the upper section
of the berthing ones, are provided
with a zinc-dust primer covered with
three top coats of tar epoxy-resin for
corrosion protection. The total coat Contractor:
thickness amounts to 300 µm. Amsterdamse Ballast,
Beton- en Waterbouw BV
The lower part of the dolphins (3 m Ballast-Nedam Huis,
below the mudline) remains unprotec- Amstelveen–Holland,
ted. The upper section of the berthing P.O.B. 500
dolphins is protected against corrosion
by means of a fusion-bonded poly- Operator:
ethylene coating (black). Moreover, Shell Nederland Raffinaderij BV,
the dolphins are provided with con- Rotterdam-Pernis

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Lay-out of tanker mooring berth
Shell/Rotterdam

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Side view

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Total view

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Top view

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Section A-D

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Thyssen Mannesmann Handel GmbH
Hans-Günther-Sohl-Strasse 1
D-40235 Düsseldorf
Postal address:
P.O.Box 10 36 51 · D-40027 Düsseldorf
Tel.: (*49 211) 9 67-0
Fax: (*49 211) 9 67-78 06
e-mail: offshore@t-mh.com
www.thyssen-mannesmann-handel.de