Yokohama Rubber obtains ‘Certificate of Rubber Fender Test Environment’
Hiratsuka, Japan—The Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., announces that it obtained a “Certificate of Rubber Fender Test Environment” on January 23, 2026, after passing the rigorous examination under the “Rubber Fender Testing Environment Certification Program” conducted by Japan’s Specialists Center of Port and Airport Engineering (SCOPE). The certificate is proof that Yokohama Rubber conducts testing of marine rubber fenders manufactured and sold by the Company in a reliable environment using a system that prevents data fraud.
Fenders are cushioning materials used to protect a vessel’s hull from impact with the quay during harbor moorings and during ship-to-ship operations at sea. Fenders therefore are a crucial safety feature for ships and port facilities. The “Rubber Fender Testing Environment Certification Program” was launched by SCOPE on April 1, 2023, to confirm the reliability of fender testing and ensure that fenders can be used safely and securely. The SCOPE certification project is based on the guidelines for testing rubber fenders established by the World Association for Waterborne Transport Infrastructure (PIANC)* and examines the testing environment’s compliance with many specific requirements established by SCOPE, including prevention of fraudulent data. These requirements can be summarized in the categories presented below.
Items examined by SCOPE’s “Rubber Fender Testing Environment Certification Program”
Compliance with requirements for static compression testing of rubber fenders
Elimination of opportunities for data falsification
Integrity of statistical values in fender test data
Establishment of corporate systems to prevent data falsification
In 1958, Yokohama Rubber developed the world’s first pneumatic fenders for use in the offshore berthing of two vessels. Since 2023, the Company has expanded its fender portfolio from high-performance pneumatic types by introducing new solid fenders, the main fender market. This strategic portfolio expansion has made Yokohama Rubber a comprehensive maker of fenders and strengthened its revenue base.
Yokohama Rubber is currently implementing its Yokohama Transformation 2026 (YX2026), the medium-term management plan for fiscal years 2024–2026. The plan includes a strategy for MB Segment growth driven by concentrating the segment’s resources in its two strongest business domains—hose & couplings and industrial products. As part of this plan, Yokohama Rubber aims to achieve steady growth in profits from industrial products by further strengthening the product lineup and maintaining high market shares for fenders and other marine products.