AWARDS 2023 | Best Workboat Fendering Supplier – Ocean 3

Best Workboat Fendering Supplier – Ocean 3

Based in Linselles in northern France, Ocean 3 has become globally renowned as a high quality supplier of marine fendering and navigational and mooring buoys.

It has a wide range of standard products to suit most practical uses but can custom build for every imaginable purpose if required. Ocean 3’s substantial design office and factory maintains considerable stocks for immediate delivery.

Its fendering systems are fitted worldwide to tugs, OSVs, WFSV’s, ferries, patrol boats, pilot boats, dredgers and every imaginable kind of vessel as well as to wharves, jetties and quays.

"Our fender systems have been known for more than 15 years now for their efficient hull protection attributes," Martin Wolczko, Head of Sales at Ocean 3, told Baird Maritime. "We also undertake reliable calculations to design suitable fenders for a broad range of vessel applications such as oil and gas crewboats, windfarm support vessels, pilot boats, patrol vessels, and even bespoke boats. Also, high-quality materials are used to ensure efficient energy dissipation for low reaction forces, thus distributing hull pressure and impact during berthing manoeuvres."

The year 2023 saw Ocean 3 develop a new range of materials in collaboration with suppliers. These include foams with greater resilience in absorption and 3D-reinforced fabrics designed to be encapsulated in tough abrasion-resistant coatings.

"We are now turning to automation and incorporating it in some key parts of our manufacturing processes," added Wolczko. "This will help reduce some of the labour-intensive steps in production. We are also starting to consider the use of green, eco-friendly materials."

Wolczko said that 2023 was also a year of growth for Ocean 3, particularly in the workboat fendering segment as evidenced by the approximately 300 vessels being equipped with the company's products. There continues to be great demand among operators of pilot boats, crewboats, and windfarm support vessels, though activity has also picked up in other market segments such as defence and security, with landing craft and unmanned vessels requiring lightweight fendering that also promises impact absorption during berthing.

"Because of our advanced designs and our production capabilities, we have generated even greater interest in workboat fendering systems," Wolczko told Baird Maritime. "Whereas rubber fenders were still widely used about two decades ago, composite fenders are becoming more common in various fields. We are also seeing foam-filled fenders growing in number."

Wolczko added that, in the future, electric vessels and unmanned craft will also require efficient hull protection. With foam-filled fenders now available, these can easily satisfy that requirement of such vessels.

For a list of the 2023 "Best Of" award winners, please click here.