Tips
4 September 2025

Independent Wire Rope Core (IWRC) and Fiber Core (FC)

Both Independent Wire Rope Core (IWRC) and Fiber Core (FC) Wire Ropes are used for mooring, but their suitability depends on the specific demands of the application. IWRC ropes are stronger and more durable, while FC ropes are more flexible with a better fatigue resistance.

ꙮ 𝐈𝐖𝐑𝐂
These wire ropes have a core made of a separate, smaller steel wire rope. This steel-on-steel construction provides a rigid & strong foundation for the outer strands.

ꙮ 𝐅𝐂
These wire ropes have a core made from either natural or synthetic fibers. The fiber core is softer and more pliable than a steel core.

➡️ 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐒 & 𝐂𝐎𝐍𝐒

ꙮ 𝐈𝐖𝐑𝐂
✔️ 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡: The steel core provides a significant increase in breaking strength, typically up to 10% higher than a comparable fiber core rope.
✔️ 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: The rigid steel core offers excellent resistance to crushing and deformation, which is crucial for applications with high pressure or multi-layer winding on drums.
✔️ 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: IWRC ropes can withstand higher temperatures, making them suitable for environments where friction or heat buildup is a concern.
➖ 𝐋𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: The steel core makes the rope less flexible, which can lead to fatigue and premature failure when used in applications with frequent bending over sheaves or drums.
➖ 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐫: The steel core adds weight to the rope, which can be a disadvantage in applications where weight is a factor.

ꙮ 𝐅𝐂
✔️ 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐅𝐥𝐞𝐱𝐢𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲: The fiber core makes the rope more flexible and elastic, allowing it to better absorb shock & withstand repeated bending. This translates to better fatigue resistance & a longer lifespan in dynamic applications.
✔️ 𝐋𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: Fiber core ropes are lighter than their steel-cored counterparts, making them easier to handle & install.
✔️ 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐋𝐮𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Fiber cores can be impregnated with lubricating oil during manufacturing, which helps to lubricate the internal wires, reduce friction & provide some corrosion resistance.
➖ 𝐋𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡: Fiber core ropes have a lower breaking strength compared to IWRC ropes of the same diameter & construction.
➖ 𝐏𝐨𝐨𝐫 𝐂𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: The soft core is susceptible to crushing & deformation, which can lead to the outer strands losing support & becoming damaged.
➖ 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐓𝐞𝐦𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐬: Fiber cores are unsuitable for high-temperature environments, as the fibers can burn or melt, compromising the rope’s integrity.

ꙮ IWRC is often preferred for heavy-duty mooring lines where high strength & crush resistance are paramount, such as when a rope is spooled onto a winch drum under high tension.

ꙮ FC is better suited for dynamic mooring lines that experience frequent bending & shock loading, where flexibility and fatigue resistance are more critical. This is common in applications with frequent changes in tension & movement.

Tips
7 July 2025

The Unseen Strength: Specialized Mooring Links

When we talk about “mooring,” our minds often go straight to the ropes. But for permanent moorings, like those holding offshore platforms or large buoys, the real backbone is the specialized metal links. These aren’t just any old chain links; they’re engineered powerhouses designed to withstand immense, continuous forces from the sea.

If you’ve heard terms like “Mandal links” or “Tonsberg shackles,” you’re touching on specific types of these high-strength components. These names often refer to designs or origins in regions known for their robust maritime and offshore industries, like Norway. They represent particular solutions for creating incredibly strong, durable connections to anchors on the seabed.

What Makes Them So Strong?

These specialized links stand out because of:

Premium Materials: They’re typically made from high-grade alloy steels, often specially treated for extra strength, ductility, and fatigue resistance. Think R3, R4, R5 grades – the higher the ‘R,’ the tougher the link.
Precision Engineering: Every link’s design is critical, ensuring even stress distribution. They’re rigorously proof-loaded (tested to a specific tension) and have a defined Minimum Breaking Load (MBL), all certified by international standards.
Built to Last: They’re designed for decades underwater, meaning excellent corrosion protection (often galvanized or specially coated) and a long fatigue life to handle endless cycles of stress from waves and currents.

The Undeniable Benefits of Using Mooring Rope Protectors

The advantages of deploying mooring rope protectors are manifold, impacting both safety and operational costs:

Extended Rope Lifespan: This is perhaps the most significant benefit. By creating a sacrificial layer between the rope and abrasive surfaces, protectors dramatically reduce friction-induced wear, chafe and cuts. This directly translates into a longer service life for your expensive mooring lines.
Enhanced Safety: A worn or damaged mooring rope is a severe safety hazard, risking vessel breakaway, damage to property, or even injury. Protectors maintain the structural integrity of the rope, significantly reducing the risk of sudden failure.
Cost Savings: While there’s an initial investment in protectors, it pales in comparison to the cost of frequently replacing damaged mooring lines. By extending rope life, protectors offer substantial long-term savings.
Protection Against Specific Damage: They guard against sharp edges on fairleads, rough concrete surfaces on docks, barnacle-encrusted pilings and even UV degradation from prolonged sun exposure at specifi points.

Why Are They So Important?

These links are crucial for:

Absolute Security: They provide the ultimate, unyielding connection for vital offshore structures, preventing dangerous drift or catastrophic failures.
Load Management: They efficiently transfer enormous forces from the moored structure to the anchor system, ensuring the entire setup can handle extreme conditions.
Long-Term Reliability: Their exceptional durability reduces the need for costly and hazardous subsea maintenance.

Advice for These Links:

For anyone dealing with these specialized components:

Stick to Standards: Always use links that meet or exceed strict international and classification society standards. Certification is key.
Match Components: Ensure the links are fully compatible with all other parts of the mooring system – ropes, chains, and anchors – in terms of strength and size.
Inspect Regularly: Even underwater, these links need periodic inspection for wear, corrosion, or damage, often done by ROVs or divers.
Get Expert Help: For complex systems, always consult experienced marine engineers.

These specialized mooring links might be out of sight, but they’re the silent, enduring backbone of safety and stability in the world’s most demanding marine environments.

Tips
5 June 2025

Understanding Messenger Ropes

🤏 Small but Important in Marine Operations

At Black Rope, we know that every rope plays a crucial role in safe and efficient marine operations. While often unassuming, messenger ropes are incredibly important for precise and secure connections at sea and in port.

❔ Why are they so important?

Messenger ropes are lightweight lines used to pull the heavier ones (like mooring ropes or towing lines) across distances – from ship to shore or ship to ship. They are the initial link, ensuring that the main, heavy-duty lines can be safely and efficiently deployed without unnecessary manual strain or risk. Without them, complex mooring and towing operations would be significantly more challenging and hazardous.

📃 Regulations & Specifications:

Despite their lighter weight, messenger ropes are vital for safety, hence they must meet certain standards. While less stringent than main mooring lines, considerations include:

Material: They are often made from high-visibility, lightweight and durable synthetic fibers like polypropylene or polyethylene, which are resistant to UV and saltwater. Some may also use nylon for good handling and stretch properties.
Visibility: High-visibility colors (like bright yellow) are often preferred to ensure they are easily spotted, especially during bad weather or night operations.
Strength & Durability: While light, they need sufficient breaking strength to pull heavier lines without snapping and excellent abrasion resistance to withstand friction.
Handling & Flotation: Easy handling and permanent flotation (specific gravity less than 1.0) are key features, making them manageable for the crew and preventing underwater entanglement.

👷 Safety First:

Proper use and inspection of messenger ropes are paramount. Always ensure they are in good condition, free from wear or damage and handled by well-trained personnel wearing appropriate PPE. Their failure can lead to delays, damage or even serious injury if a heavy line is not secured properly.

Next time you see a small line being deployed, remember the critical role of messenger ropes, the unsung hero of countless marine maneuvers and mooring operations!

Tips
29 May 2025

Understanding SWL, WLL and Rated Capacity

SWL, WLL, and Rated Capacity are terms used in lifting and rigging to specify load limits, but they have distinct meanings and applications, with some terms being replaced over time for clarity and safety.

💡 Safe Working Load (SWL)

SWL stands for Safe Working Load and was historically used to indicate the maximum load that lifting equipment could safely lift, lower, or suspend under normal operating conditions.
It was calculated by dividing the equipment’s Minimum Breaking Load (MBL) by a safety factor, typically ranging from 4 to 6, or higher if failure risk to life existed.
However, SWL is now considered an outdated term and has been replaced because it implied a guarantee of safety, which is legally problematic and ambiguous in risk management.
SWL is no longer used in modern lifting standards and has been replaced by WLL for equipment below the crane hook and Rated Capacity for cranes, hoists, and winches.

💡 Working Load Limit (WLL)

WLL means Working Load Limit and is the maximum load that lifting equipment such as chains, hooks, slings, or ropes is designed to raise, lower, or suspend.
It is calculated by the manufacturer based on the equipment’s breaking strength (Minimum Breaking Load) divided by a factor of safety.
Unlike SWL, WLL indicates a limit rather than a guaranteed safe load, reflecting the maximum load under ideal conditions.
WLL is specific to the equipment below the crane hook and is used to ensure that the equipment is not overloaded, considering factors such as wear, damage, and environmental effects.
The WLL can vary depending on the configuration and use, for example, the angle of sling legs affects the WLL of a sling assembly.
WLL is the preferred and current term for specifying load limits on lifting accessories and below-hook equipment.

💡 Rated Capacity (also known as Maximum Rated Capacity – MRC)

Rated Capacity refers to the maximum gross load that a crane, hoist, or winch can lift in a particular working configuration and condition.
It includes the weight of attachments, spreader beams, or lifting devices below the crane hook.
Rated Capacity has replaced the term SWL for cranes, hoists, and winches due to the legal and safety implications of the word “safe.”
It is often called the Manufacturer’s Rated Capacity (MRC) or Maximum Rated Capacity to avoid confusion with maximum gross load.
Rated Capacity is a broader term than WLL, applying to the entire lifting machine and its configuration rather than just the lifting accessories below the hook.

In conclusion, SWL is an older term largely replaced by WLL for lifting accessories and Rated Capacity for cranes and hoists. WLL defines the maximum load limit for equipment below the hook, while Rated Capacity defines the maximum load for the lifting machine and its attachments. Respecting these limits ensures safe lifting operations.

Tips
21 May 2025

Storage Life of Mooring Lines

The recommended maximum time for which a mooring rope product can be stored under specified conditions while also the defined quality remains with no loss of its properties, is called Shelf Life.

Synthetic mooring fiber ropes are made from various materials such as Polypropylene, Polyester, Polyamide, HMPE which have different properties and can be affected by many factors when in storage:

🌡️ Heat Generating Sources

When exposed to heat, all synthetic materials are affected and may lose mechanical properties such as tensile strength. Depending on the temperature exposure and the rope material, the degradation of the rope may vary.

💧 Ambient Moisture

While most synthetic ropes are not affected by moisture, Polyamide (Nylon) ropes absorb water particles and their strength may be significantly reduced. This process is irreversible even in small moisture levels.

☀️ Sunlight Exposure

Sunlight can cause depolymerization of the rope’s material. The extent of the damage on the mechanical properties depends on the size of exposure (direct or diffused sunlight, time period of exposure and UV stabilization of the material).

🧪 Chemical Exposure

Many cases of rope storage conditions on-board vessels include contact with various chemicals (paints, acids, cleaning products etc.) that can cause severe damage to the molecular structure of the rope. This leads to further degradation of material strength and may be a cause for rope retirement.

Proper Storage of Mooring Ropes Includes:

Dry conditions
Room temperatures
No exposure to sunlight
Zero exposure to chemicals

Ropes stored on-board vessels under these conditions in packaging as received by manufacturer may reach many years without loss of the initial defined quality.

⌛ The Shelf Life of any rope product will be a maximum of 7 years (when stored properly as explained above) retaining 100% of its break strength, but this Shelf Life is terminated by the date that the item is used for service (operation) or subjected to disposal action.

⏲️ At 10 years of proper storage, minimum strength losses are expected (up to 5%), but the rope will be still safe and fit for use in mooring operations. After 10 years of proper storage the strength losses are undetermined and the user is recommended to check for residual strength. When a rope item is unpacked and introduced to operation, shelf-life management stops and service life begins.

Tips
9 January 2024

Mooring Plan Execution

During the 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧’𝐬 𝐄𝐱𝐞𝐜𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, you must ensure that the mooring area is safe both on-board and ashore. 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐑𝐨𝐩𝐞 can assist you build, evaluate and monitor your fleet’s 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧.

Tips
26 September 2023

September Mooring Tips | SDMBL simplified

SDMBL & Mooring Equipment at a Glance.

Let’s make things easier and sum them up for you. Black Rope’s experts are here to guide and support you, regarding any inquiry you may have about your fleet’s mooring needs.

Tips
15 September 2023

SOLAS II-1/3-8 | Develop your Mooring Plan

A professional and efficient mooring plan is based on several rules. It requires meticulous preparation. BLACK ROPE can ensure your fleet’s smooth transition and adoption of the new SOLAS requirements.

Stay tuned and contact Black Rope’s mooring experts for any inquiry that may arise.

📧 info@blackropeco.com

📲 (+30) 210 224 1089

Tips
1 September 2023

SOLAS II-1/3-8 arrives on January 1st 2024

Amendments to the SOLAS Regulation II-1/3-8 have been adopted by the Maritime Safety Committee and will be in effect from 01.01.2024, aiming to strengthen safe mooring operations on board. These adaptions introduce new requirements for mooring arrangements and equipment in order to implement meaningful safety improvements and consequently achieve the avoidance of serious or fatal accidents.

For Black Rope, there has never been an alternative option other than ensuring your safe and seamless mooring operations.

We will be glad to assist you with the smooth and tailor-made implementation of the amended SOLAS regulatory prerequisites regarding your fleet’s mooring plan.