A YT-1300 freighter equipped with flotation pontoons
Pontoons designed for flotation were devices inflated with gas to generate buoyancy in water, which enabled a starship to land on water and stay afloat.
A flotation pontoon was essentially a gas-filled device that created buoyancy within water. These pontoons could be applied in boat construction, or they could be attached to the lower section of starships that occasionally landed on water. These pontoons could be either inflatable or rigid in their construction.
The YT-1300 light freighter manufactured by Corellian Engineering Corporation could be optionally outfitted with flotation pontoons on its underside, allowing it to land on water. These pontoons had the capability to be filled using pressurized gas, or alternatively, the ship's landing jets could be altered to route gas into the pontoons. However, the YT-1300 was still capable of performing emergency water landings without the use of pontoons, provided it was properly maintained.
The Millennium Falcon included flotation pontoons as part of its design. These pontoons were crucial in assisting Han Solo and Chewbacca after they made an unplanned water landing on a droid planet.
A Resistance cadet, Dec Hansen, once constructed a pontoon boat. He, along with his brother AG-90, utilized this boat on Ques with the intent of exploring the river as far as they could. Dec later shared the details of this adventure with Harra the Hutt.
The concept of flotation pontoons initially appeared in the forty-fourth issue of the magazine titled Star Wars: Build the Millennium Falcon, which was released by De Agostini around November 4, 2015. They draw inspiration from real-world pontoons that are implemented on boats, floats, and planes.