USER’S MANUAL
Synthetic Ropes
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USER’S MANUALPiraeus
Synthetic Ropes
• Synthetic ropes must operate at 20% of their minimum breaking load (design factor 1:5 up to
1:12 – previous name was safety factor). Loads bigger than 20% must be considered as shock /
dynamic loads.
• Uncoiling the rope from the delivery package must be effected carefully and gradually. Twisted
synthetic ropes, upon their delivery, must remain lying for 24 hours, so that they may return to the
condition prior to their winding. After the 24 hours, the rope can be wound on the winch drums on
board. Winding of the twisted ropes must be carried out tightly & evenly at clockwise direction, so
that no spaces are created between the wraps.
• Ideal storage conditions of the rope are in dry and cool environment (19-210C) and above the ground
(eg on pallets) so that they are adequately ventilated. In order to avoid extensive wear on non
stored ropes, care must be taken so that external storage drums/reels to be covered with suitable
cloth, in order to minimize the wear from rain and solar radiation, allowing free flow of air below the
drum.
• Ropes, after their operation in sea water, must be washed off with fresh water and be left to dry
before respooled & stored.
• On what concerns the usage and eye splice making techniques, and rest use of the ropes, please
follow maker’s instructions.
• During mooring operation, ropes can be secured by 8-figure wraps. This method is the
recommended one and that way the rope retains the 90% of its strength. Furthermore, the eye
splice reduces the minimum breaking load by 10%. Securing the rope by using knots (using only
one vertical pole from the “h” of the bollard) is not recommended because holding strength is
reduced by 40 - 50%.
• All synthetic ropes during their operation are elongated, and this elongation is normal within certain
limits. This elongation takes its final value after the 5th usage of the rope under tension at the 45% of
its minimum breaking load. Elongation for Nylon is around 18%~30% and for other synthetic ropes
around 13%~15%, while it must never go over 45% in the synthetic ropes (65% in Nylon ropes). This
practically means that Nylon ropes can elongate more, but same as the synthetic ropes, such a case
is a marginal situation and we must never let the rope reaching its limits.
• Checking ropes that are in use must be a frequent task as their condition reflects safety issues,
primarily of personnel and secondarily of material.
Ropes must not come in contact with minerals & petrol oils, alkalis and other chemicals.
In such cases, you must locally wash the rope with fresh water and soap.
Ropes must not come in contact with rusted surfaces. In this respect, the rope exit spots
from the ship (panama bows / chocks) must be well maintained as per the rules and
must not be corroded / rusted or rough. Contact with rust can cause drop of the strength
of the nylon rope by 40% even within one month of use.
Operator must take care so that no sudden change in tension occurs (either tensile from
slack condition or sudden loosening), so that the kink formation is avoided.
Please keep the rope clear – dirt and grit accumulated in the rope acts like sand paper
(grinding) and accelerates wear.
Please pay attention to the salt incrustations / concentrations which impregnate the
whole rope after its usage in sea water and do not use it when dried, as the internal
yarn on yarn abrasion will intensify. Ropes must be washed again with fresh water so
that so that such concentrations are removed.
• Regular rope inspection (after each use and every week if ship is moored for a long time with
ropes under tension) is conducted as follows:
All strands are inspected in the whole length of the rope. If kinks are noticed, or other
defect, the rope must be unloaded (off tension) and the defect rectified (if it is possible –
otherwise the rope must be discarded and replaced)
Please check for dark red, brown or black spots in parts of the strands. If you spot a
strand with the above colors it means that rope has been overloaded and could possibly
show irregular behavior or accelerated deterioration.
Please check the ambient storage area for possible existence of chemicals. Even if the
chemicals do not come in contact with the rope, fumes may affect the rope.
Please check rope’s circumference for reduction. Reduction limit of the circumference
with the rope slack (minimum tension 200xd2 in pounds, d circumference in inches), is
up to 5% of the initial when rope was delivered on board (new rope).
• Please try as much as possible to distribute the wear - reverse occasionally from time to time so that
the outer spliced part comes in and vice versa
• The minimum ratio between sheave / drum or other surfaces’ diameter must be to the rope
diameter 5:1.
Using ropes imposes risks for the personnel involved therefore attention should be paid when they are in
operation. Dangers are mostly owed to the fracture of the rope under load, where, the immediate release of
the tension may cause particularly severe injuries. Accidents may also occur during rope usage from
carelessness, personnel negligence and refer in falls, where personal injuries are not particularly serious.
Continuous practice and preventive measures during rope usage maximize the safety factor of the
personnel, while any omissions may lead to adverse situations. The most important factors that are deemed
as being the most dangerous during rope usage is the actual position of the personnel in relation to a rope
under tension as well as the placing of a rope in a bollard under tension.
All deck personnel must be well aware and trained in the rope usage.
For avoiding overloading of the ropes, personnel handling them must know the breaking loads, the
reductions due to the eye splices - joints and the safe method of handling the ropes. Rope in usage must be
loaded as smoothly and gradually as possible and its diameter must be closely monitored. Personnel must
keep in the bollard so many wraps as are needed so that the rope does not slide but at the same time the
loosening to be easy by taking out one wrap. Never secure ropes with many wraps, especially spring ropes,
while ship is still moving.
• Personnel in charge must pay attention to the dangerous areas of the ropes under tension. The
optimum position of the line handlers are in areas off the snap-back danger zone. See figure 1
• The dangerous area is created either from rope tension because of the elasticity tending to come in
line with the winch drum due to the force imposed to it or during the sudden release of the load and
possibly create sweeping effects (figure “8” movement)
• Upon the decision that the rope will not move further, the placing of figure “8” wraps in the bollard
must be a team work and co-ordinated. With the strop installed on the rope, loosening is done
vertically to the tension axis of the rope and then the wraps are placed without the personnel
leaving the rope from their hands.
Figure 1
Figure 2
• Correct method of installing the figure “8” wraps is shown in the picture on the right.
• Ropes must be wound on the drums or bollards in such a way that the load is born by the inner part
of the rope. See figure 3
Ropes restraint strops must be from the same material as the main rope.
Special attention must be given by the personnel that is not handling the ropes, but is around
the area where rope operation is in progress
Figure 3
Pulled-out strand
Cut Kinck
Twisted
Studies have shown that rope where turns have been induced, there is a reduction in its strength up to 7% per
tpm (turn per meter)
• For an easier inspection of the ropes (criteria to resplice or to retire the ropes), please follow the
below table according to EN ISO 9554
• Life time limit for ropes is not available in any literature. As long as the storage conditions are ideal,
damage on the rope is theoretically the minimum. Additionally, continuous usage under tension in
hot or cold climate and solar radiation has a significant effect in their lifetime, strength and
properties’ retention. Thus, different practices are followed on what concerns the usage duration of
the ropes.
• Nylon and synthetic ropes that remain exposed in solar radiation may lose in 3 months up to 40% of
their minimum breaking strength (depending also on the intensity of the solar radiation and also if
the rope is reinforced with UV stabilizer, eg fiber NIKASTEEL®).
• Towing ropes that are not under tension for many hours / days, may be used for a longer period, as
long as they are inspected and found in good condition.
For applications where the maximum WLL* has not been determined or a successful experience record
is not available for the type and size of rope used, the following variables should be considered in
determining the design factor (1:5 up to 1:12)
DISCLAIMER
Katradis Marine Ropes Industry S.A., to the best of its knowledge, uses reasonable efforts to include accurate and up-to date
information on this manual; it does not, however, make any warranties or representations, either express or implied, as to its
accuracy or completeness. All material and information provided on this manual are provided “as is” without warranty of any kind,
either express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, commercial viability, title or non –
infringement.
Katradis Marine Ropes Industry S.A. and its affiliates assume no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content of
this manual. It is the responsibility of the user to ensure the proper use, handling, maintenance and routine inspection of Synthetic
mooring ropes. Under no circumstances and under no legal theory shall Katradis Marine Ropes Industry S.A., its affiliates, its
suppliers, or any other party involved in creating, producing, or delivering this manual’s contents be liable to the users for any
indirect, direct, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising from any cause whatsoever