Buy modular pontoon

Work on or along the water does not wait for a vacancy in the rental calendar. Installing revetments, dredging, or driving foundations: the moment you need a stable work surface on the water rarely coincides with the moment a rental company happens to have equipment available. This costs time, and time on a construction site or hydraulic engineering project is money. Owning your own coupling ponton makes you independent of such schedules. You determine when the work surface on the water is ready. It comes standard with a certificate and an on-board fuel supply that complies with regulations.

What is a coupling ponton?

A coupling ponton is also referred to as a work ponton, floating platform, or floating work platform. The term work raft is also used. The principle is always the same: a steel box with airtight compartments allows the platform to float. This also works under the weight of a crane or excavator.

What do you use a coupling ponton for?

The use of a coupling ponton varies by field, but the starting point is always the same: a stable platform on which you can work.

In practice, you usually couple two to four pontons together, with one or more cranes on the assembled platform.

Specifications of our coupling ponton

The coupling ponton from Jacobi Tanks is built to carry weight, not for navigation. The specifications at a glance:

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How much ponton do you need? Load capacity and freeboard

The load capacity of approximately 2,650 kg per ponton applies at 15 centimeters of freeboard. This is the height between the water surface and the top deck required for stability. If your crane or excavator weighs more than one ponton can carry, you couple a second or third module. An illustrative calculation example: a mini-excavator of approximately 3,500 kg requires two coupled pontons. This distributes the weight and maintains the freeboard. When calculating the load, also include the weight of cargo and crew, not just the equipment itself. For a customized calculation tailored to your machine and work situation, please request a quote.

Standard equipment and options

The coupling ponton is equipped for daily work on the water. As standard, the ponton has a non-slip top deck, bottom protection, and fork and key holes for movement with a forklift.

In addition, Jacobi Tanks supplies the coupling material to connect pontons together, plus options such as spud poles with spud pole holders to anchor the ponton on location, bow sections, and versions in different colors. Customization is possible upon consultation.

Coupling pontons into a work platform

Individual pontons only become a work platform once you couple them together using two simple connections.

This allows you to build a larger continuous work surface, a temporary walkway, a jetty, or a base to support equipment. In practice, you couple two to four pontons together. This also works with pontons you already have on the construction site, provided the dimensions are NATO-compatible.

Delivered hull certified, what that means

Every ponton from Jacobi Tanks is delivered with a Certificate of Inspection (CvO). This is the inspection of the hull: the plate thickness, strength and stability, and the coupling mechanism are checked. The certificate is issued by an authorized inspection body. This certificate is required as soon as equipment, such as an excavator or crane, is operated on the ponton. The ponton is then considered a floating tool. Furthermore, each ponton has a unique serial number cut into the top deck, making the certificate traceable to the specific unit you receive.

Fuel on the water: ADN and your IBC tank

A crane or excavator on your coupling ponton runs on diesel, and that fuel must also be on board. On inland waterways, it is not ADR (as with road transport) that applies, but ADN. This is the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways. If you transport a diesel tank or IBC with fuel on the ponton over water, the ADN framework applies. Exactly what applies depends on the quantity and the situation.

In addition to the coupling ponton, Jacobi Tanks also supplies the associated fuel supply for use on the water. Our IBC Fuel Tank Type 1 is the compact choice for smaller volumes. The IBC Fuel Tank Type 2 has an integrated pump room for more intensive use. For smaller jobs, a mobile diesel tank is often sufficient, supplemented by fuel pumps for refueling from the tank. This allows you to arrange both the ponton and the fuel supply with the same partner. Are you unsure about what applies to your on-board fuel supply? We can advise you on fuel storage on the water and provide a suitable IBC fuel tank.

Buy or rent a coupling ponton?

For a one-off job, renting is a logical choice. As soon as you need a coupling ponton more frequently, that calculation changes. With rental, you pay every time, and you are dependent on the rental company’s schedule. This is precisely the problem when multiple projects are running simultaneously. If you buy a coupling ponton, that dependency disappears. The platform is ready whenever you need it. You plan for yourself instead of waiting for availability. And you can expand the work surface modularly: you start with one ponton and couple a second or third later as the job requires.

Are you unsure whether buying is the right choice for your situation? Then request a quote for your coupling ponton.

Modular pontoon: what it is, pricing factors and what to consider

Before you request a quote, it helps to know exactly what you are buying, what drives the price, and which details matter for your project.

What it is

A modular pontoon is not one fixed product but a category of interlocking floating work platforms built to carry equipment on water. Jacobi Tanks supplies these platforms in steel, which is why the same product also goes by the name steel pontoon or work pontoon. Contractors in earthworks, road-building and waterway projects use them as a stable base for plant and cranes.

Pricing factors

Several factors decide what a modular pontoon costs. Load capacity and deck size come first, a unit rated for a few tonnes costs less than a multi-section platform built to carry a crane. Material matters too: our pontoons are built in steel, engineered to handle the load of cranes and heavy plant. The coupling mechanism plays a role as well, a standard NATO-compatible profile connects to other manufacturers’ units, while a proprietary system ties you to one supplier. Hull certification is included with every unit we supply. The number of sections you need and the distance to your site both affect the final quote.

What to consider

Three questions decide the right fit for your site. How will you use it: a one-off job often favors renting, while regular or long-term use tips the balance towards buying. What configuration do you need: the number of sections, the anchoring method, and how the deck should be laid out for your equipment. Check too that the hull certification matches the work you have planned. And does it integrate with what you already run: fuel tanks, pumps and cranes all need to work with the platform, not around it.

For a configuration-specific quote based on your project parameters, request a tailored proposal.

Frequently asked questions about coupling pontons

A coupling ponton from Jacobi Tanks arrives hull certified and is modularly expandable. We deliver the platform including advice on load capacity and the on-board fuel supply.

Would you like to know which coupling ponton fits your project? Contact our specialists or call 0529-45 60 61. Jacobi Tanks combines this new product line with over 40 years of experience in fuel supply and tank solutions for construction, the agricultural sector, and industry.