World’s Largest 12-Strand Rope

Cortland, Anacortes, Wash., has claimed to have produced the world’s largest 12-strand rope for a European client, constructed on the giant 12-strand braiding machine using Cortland’s patented Plasma synthetic fiber. The rope will be used to create an enormous industrial lifting sling. This unique rope was created from more than 52,000 individual Plasma strands using Cortland’s patented 12×12 braiding technique. This exclusive braiding process combines individual 12-braided ropes into a finished 12-strand rope of exceptional strength and flexibility, said Cortland.

The finished size of the rope is 176mm with a minimum tensile strength of 1,845 tonnes.

Despite its exceptional size, the rope is 7 to 8 times lighter than a comparable steel rope, yet is much easier to handle and splice, according to the manufacturer. The rope will be used in a grommet configuration with an MBL (minimum breaking load) exceeding 3,044 tonnes for heavy lift operations.

Cortland provides lightweight rope, slings, cables and umbilicals to the oil and gas, heavy marine, subsea, ROV and seismic markets. Cortland is part of Actuant Corporation, a diversified industrial company with operations in more than 30 countries.