Maersk to change their mooring ropes over the course of five years

Maersk is to implement a new rope anchoring system, called SBA (Snap Back Arrestor). Mooring is one of the most dangerous aspects of port operations. When a mooring line that holds an anchored vessel breaks, the sudden release of energy can cause the rope to fly at a speed of almost 500 MPH, equivalent to twice the speed of a NASCAR racing car.

The new technology will be provided by the Norwegian manufacturer TIMM Ropes. In this model, the mooring cable has a special core that elongates more than the surrounding cable, which absorbs and cushions the tremendous energy released when the mooring lines break. As a result, instead of lashing out unpredictably at great speed, a broken SBA rope will simply fall to the ground. The new ropes are also colored with a blue Maersk stripe, making it easier for operators to detect any damage or twist in the rope that may affect the break.

Each year, Maersk buys and replaces about 1,000 mooring lines, generating an annual expense of nearly US$2 million. Traditional mooring lines have a service life of five years and Maersk will implement an exchange program in which its current high-quality mooring lines will be replaced once that time is up with improved SBA cables at a rate that reflects supply and availability. The complete deployment of the new SBA cables is planned to be completed in five years.

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