A new 25 mm, 12,000-metre DynIce Warp high-performance fibre rope is now on board the Japanese research vessel KAIMEI.
Hampiðjan Advant supplies the rope to the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC).
It comes with a breaking strength of 45 tonnes. It replaces a rope of the same design that works for 11 years in continuous deep-sea operations—an exceptional lifetime under extreme marine conditions.
From the Trench to the Lab
The length of the rope allows scientists to reach almost any point in the ocean. For scale, the Mariana Trench—the deepest place on Earth—lies about 11 kilometres below the surface.
Steel wire cannot handle such depths, as it becomes too heavy and breaks under its own weight beyond roughly 6 kilometres. The DynIce Warp solves this problem by combining lightweight with immense strength.
Technology That Earns Trust
The KAIMEI carries out mapping of the seabed, studies of marine resources, and long-term climate monitoring. It also supports earthquake and tsunami research to reduce natural disaster risks.
“This is the first time JAMSTEC uses a fibre rope of this length,” says Kenta Inaba, Hampiðjan’s representative in Japan. “At first, there is doubt—could it survive the strain? But after 11 years, it has proven itself. No breaks, no major problems. That shows the rope is dependable. It also shows why long-term service is as important as the rope itself.”
A Clear Vote of Confidence
The decision to order a new rope signals JAMSTEC’s trust in both the product and the supplier.
Hampiðjan believes this also shows a growing need in Japan for advanced fibre ropes and large slings, especially for offshore wind projects.
Meeting this demand requires strict safety and load-bearing standards—standards the company is ready to meet with custom-built solutions.