Dolphin

A dolphin is an isolated marine structure, separate from the main quay or jetty, that supports berthing, mooring, or navigation functions. Berthing or breasting dolphins carry fenders and take the ship’s lateral impact; mooring dolphins carry bollards or quick-release hooks and hold the moored vessel against wind and current. Construction is a single large-diameter monopile, a raked pile cluster, or a small caisson, sized to the berthing energy or the mooring-line load. Dolphins let an open jetty serve a long vessel with a short loading platform, common at oil, LNG, and bulk terminals. Design follows BS 6349-2 and PIANC berthing and mooring guidance.