Hampidjan Advant has recently delivered a new 25 mm, 12.000 metre DynIce Warp high-performance fibre rope to the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) for use aboard the research vessel Kaimei.

The rope, with a breaking strength of 45 tonnes, replaces an earlier DynIce Warp system of the same specification that was delivered in 2014 and has remained in continuous operation for 11 years—a service life considered unusually long under such demanding conditions.
 
EXTREME OCEAN DEPTHS
The original 2014 delivery marked a milestone in Japanese marine research, as a synthetic rope of this length had never before been used in the country. To put this in perspective: the Mariana Trench, the deepest point in the world’s oceans, lies approximately 11 kilometres below the surface. With a 12-kilometre DynIce Warp rope, it is technically possible to reach even the most extreme ocean depths—something that cannot be done with steel wire, which becomes heavier than its own tensile capacity at around 6 kilometres and would break under its own weight.

The Kaimei research vessel is used for extensive investigations of the seabed and subseafloor. These include mapping and surveying marine resources and their distribution, monitoring environmental changes in the atmosphere and ocean related to global climate change, and conducting research focused on natural disaster prevention and risk mitigation—particularly earthquakes and tsunamis.

THE FIRST TIME
– This was the first time JAMSTEC used a fibre rope of this length, says Kenta Inaba, Hampidjan’s representative in Japan. – There were serious concerns in the beginning — people questioned whether such a rope could really be trusted, or if it would snap under operational loads. But over the past 11 years, DynIce Warp has proven itself in the field, becoming an indispensable part of JAMSTEC’s deep-sea research. It’s rare in our industry for equipment to remain in use for so long without failure or operational issues. That longevity speaks to the rope’s reliability — and to the importance of long-term technical support. JAMSTEC’s decision to order a new DynIce Warp is a clear sign of confidence, not only in the product itself but also in Hampidjan’s continued service and expertise.

Hampidjan sees strong future potential in the Japanese market, where demand is increasing for high-performance ropes and large fibre slings for offshore wind turbine installation. The company is well positioned to meet that demand with tailored solutions that comply with strict safety and load-bearing standards.