A Joint Industry Project (JIP) funded by the Scottish Government and administered by the Carbon Trust, under the Marine Renewables Commercialisation Fund (MRCF), has combined the efforts of nine European organisations (see the full list below) with the objective of testing and qualifying new synthetic mooring components. After being successfully tested, nylon has been qualified for permanent application and has confirmed its cost-saving potential.
In comparison with expensive and heavy conventional chain-based mooring systems, the use of nylon can be considered as a cost-effective solution in shallower water depths. A European JIP, composed of Tension Technology International (project leader and expert in synthetic rope development and testing), the rope manufacturer Bridon International, Ideol, Bluewater Energy Services (bringing an end-user perspective in floating tidal), DNV-GL and Lloyd’s Register (LR) has been set up for qualifying nylon via a rope testing programme so that it can be deployed safely and certified for permanent moorings.
Lloyd’s Register (LR) has conducted a technology qualification – following LR Guidance Notes for the Technology Qualification process -, which evaluated the qualification steps for the ropes designed by Bridon International. LR also witnessed key rope tests conducted at TTI testing Ltd and Bridon International, including 20 million fatigue cycles on the nylon sample. These tests have confirmed the qualification of nylon for long term application, a qualification which has confirmed the cost reduction potential at commercial scale. The JIP has also developed new modelling methodologies for nylon rope.
