Synthetic Mooring Rope
Hawser Nylon 8-strand
Hawser Nylon 8-strand is a group of 48 IMPA-coded items (codes 210601–210674) under Synthetic Mooring Rope in the Rope & Hawsers section (IMPA 21). All of them are priced per coil. Every item in the list is nylon. The list runs through imperial sizes from 6" to 15".
Buying guide
An 8-strand plaited nylon (polyamide) hawser is a heavy fibre mooring rope. The IMPA lines in this group are listed by circumference in inches and supplied in coils of 200 m or 220 m. On board it is used as a mooring line or, cut to length, for towing and other high-load work where some stretch is wanted.
Synthetic fibre ropes are stronger than natural fibre for a given size, but wear and damage weaken them more, and they stretch under load — up to double the stretch of natural fibre rope — recovering almost as soon as the load comes off. That stretch is also what makes a parting nylon line dangerous: it can snap back with lethal force. The requisition is normally raised by the chief officer or bosun when a line is retired or a spare is drawn.[5]
How to specify it
Since MEG4, mooring line strength is no longer quoted as a bare “MBL”. The ship has a Ship Design MBL (MBLsd), and a new line is bought by its Line Design Break Force (LDBF): the minimum force at which a new, spliced line breaks, which should be 100–105% of the ship design MBL. For nylon the LDBF is stated tested wet as well as spliced, because nylon changes its strength once it has been in water and does not fully dry back. Put the ship design MBL on the requisition and ask for the LDBF on the certificate.[1][2][3]
Ropes built to older practice were often specified by un-spliced break strength from the ISO 2307 test method, which does not account for the loss at a splice. When comparing quotes, check whether the figure offered is an un-spliced ISO 2307 value or a spliced LDBF; if the certificate does not show the LDBF, ask the manufacturer for it.[4][2]
State circumference (or diameter), construction (8-strand plaited), coil length, eyes required at one or both ends and their length, and a certificate per coil — the Line Management Plan files rope certificates, and its maintenance and inspection rules reference the manufacturer’s guidance, so name the make if the plan is built around one.[3]
Rules and certificates
MEG4 sets recommended minimum requirements for the design and performance of mooring systems and adds guidance on purchasing, condition monitoring and retirement of mooring lines. A ship that cannot follow it should hold a Mooring System Management Plan and a Line Management Plan (LMP) recording the interim measures.[1][2]
The LMP holds the operator’s rules for maintaining, inspecting and retiring lines. INTERTANKO’s model plan retires a mooring rope when its residual strength reaches 75% of the ship design MBL, judged by destructive testing, records and visual examination, and files the rope certificates in the plan.[3]
The UK Code of Safe Working Practices asks for objective criteria for retiring mooring ropes, certificates kept on board and linked to identifiable lines, and frequent inspection: heavy powdering between strands means excessive wear, and hardness or stiffness in nylon in particular may indicate overworking. Nylon and polyester eye splices need four full tucks followed by two tapered tucks.[5]
Questions buyers ask
- Is the LDBF of a nylon line the same as its catalogue breaking load?
- Not necessarily. LDBF is a spliced value, and for nylon it is tested wet. An un-spliced break strength from the ISO 2307 method can be higher than what a spliced line will actually hold, so ask for the LDBF on the certificate.
- Can a nylon stopper be used on a nylon mooring line?
- The Code of Safe Working Practices says to use synthetic fibre stoppers of similar material to the line, but not polyamide (nylon).
- When should a mooring line be retired?
- By the criteria in the ship’s Line Management Plan. INTERTANKO’s model plan uses residual strength of 75% of the ship design MBL, assessed together with condition, records and the manufacturer’s guidance.
Sources
- OCIMF — Mooring Equipment Guidelines, 4th edition (MEG4)
- Samson Rope — technical bulletin: MEG4, MBLsd and LDBF (June 2020)
- INTERTANKO — Guidance on Line Management Plans (hosted by IRClass)
- BS EN ISO 2307:2019 Fibre ropes — Determination of certain physical and mechanical properties (scope)
- MCA — Code of Safe Working Practices for Merchant Seafarers, 2024 edition (online reference text)
Published by Sherif Awad, founder of GeoMarineHub — in ship supply since 1990, a family business since 1981 (45 years). Last checked .
At a glance
Part of Rope & Hawsers (IMPA section 21): Mooring ropes, hawsers, steel wire rope, cordage and twine, by construction and diameter.
It is one of 42 groups under Synthetic Mooring Rope; the others include Buoyant Winchline 6-strand Mooring Rope, Chafe Protections for Mooring Line, Hawser Double Braided Nylon/Nylon, Hawser Double Braided Polyester/Nylon, Hawser Double Braided Polypropylene/Polypropylene and 36 more.
Post the ones you need as a requirement and verified suppliers activated at your port bid on them — sealed, so nobody sees another bid.
- Items
- 48
- IMPA codes
- 210601–210674
- Priced
- per coil
- Materials
- nylon
- Sizes
- 6" – 15"
Items
Also under Synthetic Mooring Rope
- Buoyant Winchline 6-strand Mooring Rope
- Chafe Protections for Mooring Line
- Hawser Double Braided Nylon/Nylon
- Hawser Double Braided Polyester/Nylon
- Hawser Double Braided Polypropylene/Polypropylene
- Hawser Polypropylene Mono-filament 8-strand
- Hawser Polypropylene Split-film 8-starnd
- Hawser Protectors
- Hawser Thimble for Mooring
- Improved Mixed Rope "NIKASTEEL" Polyester / NIKASTEEL Combination
- Mooring Line 12-strand Polyester Jacketed "Turbo-EPX"
- Mooring Line 8-strand "Eurofloat"
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