A 12,000-metre length of Hampiðjan’s high-performance DynIce Warp has been delivered to the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) for research vessel Kaimei.
This 25mm DynIce Warp with a 45-tonne breaking strength is a repeat order, provided to the same spec as the previous delivery, which has been in continuous use for eleven years – a remarkably long service life for use under demanding conditions.
The original 2014 delivery marked a milestone, as a synthetic rope of this length had never before been used by a Japanese research vessel.
‘This was the first time JAMSTEC used a fibre rope of this length,’ said Kenta Inaba, Hampiðjan’s representative in Japan.
‘There were serious concerns in the beginning – people questioned whether such a rope could really be trusted, or if it would snap under operational loads. But over the past eleven years, DynIce Warp has proven itself in the field, becoming an indispensable part of JAMSTEC’s deep-sea research. It’s rare in our industry for equipment to remain in use for so long without failure or operational issues. That longevity highlights the rope’s reliability, and to the importance of long-term technical support. JAMSTEC’s decision to order a new DynIce Warp is a clear sign of confidence, not only in the product itself but also in Hampiðjan’s continued service and expertise.’
Kaimei is used for extensive seabed and subseafloor research. This include mapping and surveying marine resources and their distribution, monitoring environmental changes in the atmosphere and ocean related to global climate change, and conducting research focused on natural disaster prevention and risk mitigation—particularly earthquakes and tsunamis.
The 12,000 metre length of rope is theoretically enough to reach the most extreeme ocean depths, such as the bottom of the 11,000 metre deep Mariana Trench. This can not be achieved with steel wire rope, which exceeds its own tensile strength at around 6000 metres, at whch is can no longer support its own weight.
Hampiðjan sees strong future potential in the Japanese market, where demand is increasing for high-performance ropes and large fibre slings for offshore wind turbine installation. The company is well positioned to meet that demand with tailored solutions that comply with strict safety and load-bearing standards.
