Morring rope operational cost

Operational costs are always an important issue in mooring operations and have become even more of a focus recently due to the economic downturn.

In some instances, the initial reaction is to look for more cheaply priced products, but that is not always the best solution.

Thousand Cycle Load Level (TCLL) values for mooring ropes have been introduced as a benchmark by OCIMF and Rotterdam based rope supplier “Lankhorst Ropes” measures its ropes in this way. The higher the % of TCLL value, the better its fatigue resistance and the longer the rope will last. New ropes are strong. The question is how much strength remains after a thousand cycles?

Elasticity is useful but can also be hazardous. Operators should make sure that all the ropes employed have similar elongation properties to ensure a balanced mooring system. Otherwise the ropes with the lowest elongation will be taking the majority of the loads.

A non-load bearing jacket, made from highly abrasion resistance materials such as Tipto yarns, will significantly increase the lifetime of ropes. Abrasion will always occur but as long as this happens to the jacket and not the load bearing core of the rope, then the rope will retain a much higher strength. These ropes can be designed in such a way as not to increase the overall diameter of the rope. Safety factor is the responsibility of the user and should account for the type of application and the peak loads and stresses the rope will encounter. Visual inspection of the ropes on a regular basis and routine repairs when necessary will significantly increase the lifetime of the ropes. Lankhorst provide training in how to make repairs and also supply repair kits with the necessary materials.

Tipto Winchline®, a brand name of Lankhorst Ropes, installed on a winch of NCL’s Pride of America. A non-load bearing jacket, made from highly abrasion resistance materials such as Tipto yarns, will significantly increase the lifetime of ropes.

By testing old ropes, valuable information can be gained over time to make more informed decisions on when a rope should be retired, helping to maintain cost effective replacement programmes and adding to the safety management. Crews and inspectors will appreciate the quality management of the mooring system.

More durable products will result in operational savings. What really matters is the overall cost of ownership. High performance Lankhorst ropes can provide this by boosting longevity with better resistance to external and internal abrasion of ropes.

Other factors are lower administration costs in less freque nt ordering, less costly downtime in changing old rope for new ropes, and lighter ropes for easier handling and faster mooring or connection processes.