Cortland, the global designer and manufacturer of engineered synthetic ropes, heavy lift slings, electro-optical-mechanical cables, and umbilicals has delivered a three-part Plasma® 12×12 mooring line configuration for the Battleship TEXAS, the state historic site. Cortland received the quote, visited the site, supplied a quote and delivered the solution in less than a week.
TEXAS is the last battleship to participate in the first and second world wars, and was the first battleship to become a memorial museum in the U.S in 1948. TEXAS has been under the stewardship of the Texas Park & Wildlife Department since 1983, and is permanently anchored in La Porte on the busy Houston Ship Channel.
Andy Smith, Ship Manager at the Texas Park & Wildlife Department initially contacted Cortland to determine if they could provide an additional mooring support system.
TEXAS’ has 4 mooring “monopiles” to which she is currently and permanently chained, but portions of this system have been compromised over the last year. Plans to retro-fit and repair the system are currently projected to be complete by mid-September, but this left TEXAS vulnerable during the heart of hurricane season.
Cortland was consulted, and within a week, the battleship was secured using a three-part mooring line configuration usingCortland’s 12×12 Plasma® rope.
“I was very impressed by the service we received,” said Andy Smith. “Time was of the utmost importance in this instance and Cortland delivered a practical and workable solution in an impressive timeframe.”
Brooks Nunley, Gulf of Mexico Technical Sales Professional for Cortland Company commented, “The TEXAS is the last of the battleships that participated in World Wars I and II, and is a great source of pride throughout Texas and the rest of the United States. After a site-analysis, we recommended Plasma® back-up mooring lines in a specific configuration, for added safety and security. We were able to deliver a custom-solution in less than 48 hours to preserve this monumental landmark.”
Cortland’s Plasma® 12×12 is a 12-strand single braided rope in which each of the 12 strands is, in turn, a 12-strand rope. This patented construction addresses the most critical properties of the fibers, to provide very high strength translation efficiency for larger ropes.
The design allows for long lay lengths, making the rope more flexible for bending applications and rope that is easy to inspect and can be quickly spliced using standard 12 strand splicing techniques.
