Lankhorst’s new glow-in-the-dark mooring rope should improve safety, increase longevity and add a pleasing aesthetic to moored-up vessels
Lankhorst Ropes was established in 1803 and has a long history of manila rope manufacturing in the traditional centre of rope production, Portugal. Like any other sector, innovation is the cornerstone of success, hence its new glow-in-the-dark rope, Tipto Winchline, launched recently at SMM.
“Being able to see the mooring rope in the dark greatly increases [the scope for] night mooring operations in the offshore sector,” said Lankhorst Ropes commercial director Hans-Pieter Baaij.
Tipto Winchline is a dedicated floating mooring line developed especially for self-tensioning winches. The addition of a phosphorescent tracer yarn in the rope’s outer jacket allows the rope to glow in the dark, increasing the visibility of the rope.
According to the company, the load-bearing seven-strand core combines high strength and relatively low elongation. Further, the outer non-load-bearing braided jacket also provides protection of the core for longer service life and increases crew safety by minimising the risk of snap-back.
Lankoforce rope is another product that can be seen in the dark, having a reflective tape braided into the Dyneema jacket, giving the rope greater visibility and enabling crew to work safely for longer.
The 12-strand braided rope is made of Dyneema yarns, making it stronger than conventional steel wire rope, yet the corresponding weight is seven times lower. For these reasons, it is widely used as an alternative for steel wire ropes in situations requiring manual handling of the rope.
The range of applications vary, from the cruise ship market to fitting Lankoforce reflective anchor lines for 5,000-tonne floating sheerleg crane Asian Hercules III. The Lankoforce anchor lines moor the barge during lifting operations and the rope’s low stretch provides a high level of stability while the sheerleg crane is operating. The reflective tape increases visibility in the often crowded operational area.
Further glow-in-the-dark and reflective ropes were debuted at SMM 2018 in Hamburg, to use as tow rope connectors for tugs. Called Lankonect, this is a synthetic fibre rope connection for the main tow line that replaces a conventional cow hitch, shackle or similar hardware.
A typical tow line configuration comprises a main towing line with a forerunner, and perhaps a stretcher, as well as a cow hitch or connector hardware. Labourious and time consuming to make up, there is also a risk of a break in the costly main line and forerunner from overpulling. Lankonect offers a new approach to tow line assembly by removing the need for a cow hitch knot or hardware. It also allows tug operators to set a calculated breaking force for the tow line configuration.
Lankhorst has introduced three innovations at SMM. Does this warrant your vote in the Innovation category of the 2018 Tanker Shipping and Trade Awards?
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