The rope used in Offspring International's hawsers is manufactured in Double Braid, Circular Braided (Gama 98®) and conventional eight strand constructions.

Double Braid is constructed with a separate outerbraided sheath and inner braided core. The balanced flexible construction, distributes the weight and strength equally between the sheath and braided core.

Gama 98® is constructed from high efficiency sub-rope cores laid parallel within an outer braided jacket. Each sub-rope is computer monitored during production to ensure all sub-ropes have equal tension and length. The outer jacket is essentially non load bearing.

Gama 98® Rope Manufacture

For Submerged Turret Loading and recovery systems, we also use Dyneema nylon fibres. Hawsers can be supplied with Integral Flotation system and/or PU encapsulation for increased durability and operational cost
savings.

Double Braid Nylon Rope Testing

Offspring International has recently completed testing of Double Braid Nylon ropes to OCIMF 2000.

Before the introduction of the OCIMF Hawser Guidelines in 1987, there were no standard methods of testing and no easy method of comparing one manufacturer’s product against another manufacturer.

The 2000 Edition of the 'Guidelines for the Purchasing and Testing of SPM Hawsers' strengthened the original version by requiring at least 3 rope sizes to be tested, and various other issues such as imposing a 10 year validity on the certificate before re-certification is required. It established a precedence and a methodology for testing of nylon SPM hawsers.

OCIMF accreditation is a symbol of a manufacturers quality and users have a means of understanding the mechanical properties of the rope, and selecting SPM hawsers based on it’s performance characteristics.

OIL has completed testing of 6-inch, 15-inch and 21-inch double braid nylon ropes at CEC's test facility in Long Beach. Three primary types of tensile tests were undertaken, in accordance with OCIMF 2000: Thousand Cycle Load Limit, New Dry Break Strength and New Wet Break Strength.

Rope testing