Fibre rope first from MacGregor Offshore

MacGregor will deliver the world's first subsea knuckle jib crane fitted with a system to handle its synthetic fibre lifting rope.

The 250 tonne capacity Hydramarine active heave-compensated (AHC) offshore crane is designed with a 3,000 m single-line winch and is prepared for a 250 tonne fibre rope. It will be installed on the subsea vessel Havila Phoenix in January.

"MacGregor's technology for handling lightweight fibre rope rather than traditional steel wire rope offers several advantages that will meet the ever-increasing demands of the offshore industry as operators move further into deeper and more remote territories," said Øystein Bondevik, sales director MacGregor Offshore.

"For example, due to the neutralisation of the weight of the fibre rope in the water, much heavier loads can be handled without strain to the crane at unlimited depths. Consequently, overall safety is improved due to the lighter equipment, which can still carry out heavy work operations," Bondevik added.

As world demand for energy increases, while the resources of oil-producing countries are depleting, the offshore industry has been forced to unlock access to untapped sources, explained Bondevik. This has resulted in the rapid development of subsea technology for oil and gas procurement.

"The new generation of MacGregor Hydramarine subsea technology, with operational capacity of up to 600 tonnes at depths down to 10,000 m, ensures indispensable precision, efficiency and safety in extreme conditions during year-around operations," Bondevik continued.