FibreMax - Fibre Mooring Systems, Lightweight Tendons and Pendant Lines

FibreMax is a worldwide leading supplier of innovative mooring solutions for the offshore oil and gas industry. FibreMax Endless Winding Technology offers innovative solutions for the industry's increasing demand to explore deeper waters and challenging environments.

FibreMax is able to produce mooring solutions for a wide range of applications such as semi-submersibles, spar platforms, TLPs, riser buoys, mid / sub-water arches, support buoys, and many others.

High-performance fibre cable mooring systems

In contradiction to braided or twined ropes, FibreMax cables are produced by endless winding of individual high-performance fibre strands around the integrated end terminations. By keeping a constant and equal tension in all individual fibre strands during winding, this secures all required mechanical properties and results in cables that take advantage of all the unique properties of these high-performance fibres.

When compared at equal break strength to steel wire rope or traditional polyester ropes, we offer the following benefits:

• Up to 90% less weight than steel wire rope
• Up to 10% less diameter than steel wire rope
• Up to 50% less weight than polyester rope
• Up to 30% less diameter than polyester rope
• No construction stretch means no bedding-in or pre-stretching is required during installation
• Exact length tolerances enable easier mooring calculations and installation
• End terminations integrated means no splicing necessary

Lighter and thinner lines enable fast and easy handling. Another cost-saving benefit is the fact that lighter and thinner lines reduce operational costs, require smaller buoys and handling vessels, and take up less deck space.

Lightweight deepwater mooring systems

FibreMax is capable of offering solutions for the most challenging applications. We offer tailor-made solutions by choosing the most appropriate fibre for each application. Our options include aramid, HMPE, LCAP, carbon and even polyester.

Our cables can be produced in any required breaking strength (up to 10,000t) and continuous lengths up to 5,000m. Our technology also enables us to produce very short lengths (less than 10m) with high breaking strengths.

Exact length tolerances of our lines enable smooth installation and easy calculation of the characteristics of the mooring system. The absence of construction stretch eliminates the need for pre-tensioning and reduces the need for bedding-in operations, which is a costly and time-saving operation.

Lightweight tendons for TLPs

FibreMax can produce lightweight tendons to bring TLPs to depths beyond 5,500ft. As water depths increase, lengths, diameter and, more importantly, the weight of steel tendons also increases. In order to support the weight buoyancy needs to be added, which increases costs.

FibreMax lightweight tendons are the solution for TLPs to reach greater depths. The weight and diameter of our composite tendons are significantly lower than steel tendons, which simplifies transport and installation. The possibility of having continuous lengths requires fewer connections and saves dramatically on installation costs.

Lightweight aramid pendant lines for offshore cranes

Another feature of our technology is the capability to produce lightweight pendant lines for offshore cranes. These pendant lines are produced with aramid Twaron® fibres. Our aramid pendants not only offer substantial weight savings, which results in increased lifting capacity and easier handling during installation, but they are also maintenance-free and non-corrosive. There is no risk of injuries for workers because there are no 'fish-hooks' as with steel wire rope.

Aramid fibres are resistant to extreme high and low temperatures as well as to a wide range of chemicals. Our pendant lines of aramid fibres have a very high service and fatigue life, which is unmatched by steel wire rope.