Faster, safer mooring for the world’s biggest ships – all thanks to Dyneema®-based mooring ropes. That’s the reality enjoyed by COSCO, whose vessel the COSPEARL LAKE used the same 22 mooring lines for more than 10 years, even as it logged 11,200 mooring hours on its voyages around the world.
Synthetic ropes made with Dyneema® SK78 fiber have proven to be a game-changer for COSCO, far exceeding the five-year average lifetime of steel wire ropes. In breaking tests conducted in 2018, the COSPEARL LAKE’s mooring lines retained 87% of their original 130-ton strength more than a decade after they were first installed on the vessel.
A decade of delivering
The story starts back in 2006, when COSCO Dalian changed its way of working on board its 300,000-ton very large crude carriers (VLCCs). Steel wire ropes had been the industry standard for decades, but COSCO decided to take two mooring lines made with Dyneema®, the world’s strongest fiber™, for an eight-month trial run at sea.
The trial was such a success that in September 2007, COSCO kitted out its newest VLCC – the COSPEARL LAKE – with a complete set of 22 Dyneema®-based mooring lines. In fact, this made it the world’s first-ever VLCC to be 100% equipped with mooring ropes containing Dyneema® fiber.
Stronger on safety
As well as freeing up valuable time, the mooring lines made with Dyneema® fiber are safer to use for the various ship and port personnel involved in mooring. Because they’re lightweight, soft, and flexible, Dyneema®-based ropes are very safe for crew to handle. To date, there hasn’t been a single hand, wrist, or back injury due to handling these mooring lines on the COSPEARL LAKE.
What’s more, with the COSPEARL LAKE plying seaways and oil-loading terminals in the high temperatures of the Middle East, efficiency is important for crew health. “Working in extreme weather conditions with heavy and cumbersome mooring lines can be challenging for even the most experienced crew, making fast and efficient docking absolutely essential,” says Jorn Boesten, Segment Manager Maritime for Dyneema®.
Contributing to cleaner seas
Unlike steel wire alternatives, mooring lines made with Dyneema® fiber don’t need grease or other lubrication. Not only does this eliminate the need for crew to clean the decks and other polluted parts of the vessel, saving yet more time, but it also reduces the chances of slips and injury on slippery decks. As if that wasn’t enough, cutting out the need for lubricants and associated cleaning products decreases the quantity of pollutants entering the ocean, helping to ensure the COSPEARL LAKE complies with ever-stricter environmental regulations.
A strong case: Why choose mooring ropes made with Dyneema® fiber?
Not only is Dyneema® the world’s strongest fiber ™, but it also delivers multiple valuable benefits over a long service lifetime.
Minimal loss of performance: after 10 years in action, breaking tests on the COSPEARL LAKE’s spring lines showed a residual strength of 114 tons, 87% of their original 130-ton strength.
Seven times lighter: mooring ropes made with Dyneema® fiber are seven times lighter than steel wire ropes of the same strength and diameter.
Much faster docking: ropes made with Dyneema® fiber cut the vessel’s docking times from an average of four hours to just 70 minutes.
Improved health and safety: because mooring ropes made with Dyneema® are lightweight, soft, and flexible, there have been no reported line-related hand, wrist, or back injuries on the COSPEARL LAKE.
Better for the environment: unlike steel wire alternatives, ropes made with Dyneema® fiber don’t need grease, lubricants, or associated cleaning products, which helps to limit pollutants entering the ocean.
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