In-Service Experience of the Behaviour of Deep Ocean Handling Ropes from the Pourquoi Pas ? and Marion Dufresne2 Oceanographic Vessels

This paper presents results from tests performed periodically to follow the tensile properties of HMPE deep water handling ropes used on two oceanographic vessels, the PourquoiPas? and the Marion Dufresne2. The SMASH Materials laboratory at IFREMER, in collaboration with DFO and Genavir, was involved in initial rope selection for these two ships and for other French oceanographic vessels (Atalante, Anita Conti), and then characterized samples removed throughout their service lifetimes during a 15-year study.