Samson Rope News

Samson and Ocean Technologies Group (OTG), a global learning and operational technology company serving the maritime industry, have agreed to collaborate to provide seafarers with on-demand access to Samson’s comprehensive set of online courses in rope handling, inspection, fabrication, and installation.The courses will be available on OTG’s Ocean Learning Platform, which was specially created to deliver blended learning, assessment, and competency management solutions that ultimately connect e-Learning and hands-on activity to improve knowledge…

January of 2017 saw the retirement of one of the veterans of the Samson family. Tony Bon, CEO through 2015 retired as of December 31, 2016. Bon shares his impressions of the time he’s been with Samson and the high points of both the company and the industry it serves. In the Navy they have an expression to describe a captain that moves up through the ranks: “He came up through the hawse pipes.” Bon’s journey to the corner office at Samson is a similar story. In 1974, after leaving Berklee College of Music in Boston, Bon needed a job.

Chafe-Pro by Fjord, Inc., a North Carolina specialty manufacturer of removable chafe-abrasion protection, announced the availability of a custom designed product for Samson Rope. Providing protection for high-performance mooring lines, the Chafe-Pro FS employs the same Chafe-Pro material, but is custom designed specifically for Samson to have a free-sliding fit. Durable and easily installed before the lines are deployed or after, the Chafe-Pro FS is built to last, the manufacturer said, adding that multiple layers of specially-formulated, heavy-duty nylon and durable thread provide maximum flexibility. It is easily positioned wherever lines pass through chocks or across fairleads anywhere the lines may be subject to abrasion.

The completion of a joint industry project (JIP) to improve existing standards and regulations around subsea lifting operations has resulted in a new recommended practice (RP). The recommended practice developed by DNV GL provides guidance on the proper design and correct operation, as well as regular inspection and maintenance, of subsea cranes and lifting appliances. The aim is to reduce the overall risk and safeguard personnel during lifting operations and to improve the integrity and efficiency of equipment throughout its lifetime.

The introduction of new and larger vessels, Q-Flex and Q-Max, and new, often more exposed terminals becoming operational have changed mooring dynamics. The need to maintain workers’ safety at all times, whilst delivering maximum operational efficiency through lower costs and faster turnaround times remains unchanged. DSM Dyneema, a close partner to the LNG industry, has done a study which concludes that these industry trends are changing the performance demands for LNG mooring lines. In parallel to DSM Dyneema’s investigation, in 2011 members of the LNG community created a Users Group to further investigate HMPE mooring line failures which TTI (UK) was asked to facilitate. DSM Dyneema is part of the Users Group, while at the same time continuing its own investigation program.

Samson high-performance synthetic slings helped Technip install subsea hardware at Petrobras’ Cascade & Chinook project. Installing two pumping stations and two manifolds at Petrobras’s Cascade and Chinook fields in the Gulf of Mexico at depths in excess of 2,500m was accomplished with a “wet handshake” and the assistance of Samson’s AmSteel-Blue fabricated into lifting slings for the operation. Technip was the contractor, and Deep Blue was the installation vessel used during the deepwater installation.

Puget Sound Rope announce that Michael Greenwood has joined Cortland/Puget Sound Rope as Technical Sales Manager. He has more than 34 years in the rope industry, beginning with the family rope company, Tubbs Cordage Company of San Francisco in 1976. For the last 24 years he has been in sales and sales management with Samson Rope Technologies. Greenwood’s past positions included, Western Regional Sales Manager, National Sales Manager, Director of Sales Commercial Marine and finally Director of New Product Development.

Samson, provider of performance cordage, and Endenburg BV, Samson’s Master Fabricating Distributor in Europe, has provided Seaway Heavy Lifting (SHL) with the first very large diameter synthetic rope slings certified by Lloyd’s for offshore installations. The two lifting systems, made from 144-mm diameter AmSteel-Blue, Samson’s rope made with 100% Dyneema high modulus polyethylene fiber, are currently assisting in the installation of 140 turbine foundation monopiles as a part of the North Sea’s Greater Gabbard project, the largest wind farm currently under construction. SHL anticipated that synthetic slings would reduce potential damage to the monopiles during their transfer from the supply barge to the deck of the installation vessel in rough seas.

Samson, supplier of performance cordage, announced the promotion of Michael Quinn to director of sales over its industrial division. Quinn takes over the leadership role after eighteen month’s tenure by Terry Crump. Crump served in the leadership role for the industrial division in conjunction with his role as Samson’s director of sales for the Americas for its commercial marine division. Quinn started at Samson as the customer service manager in 2007. In 2008, he began managing the recreational marine sales division. Previous to Samson, Quinn held both regional and corporate sales manager positions, in addition to various operations management roles in wire manufacturing. He also holds a bachelor-of-science degree from the Colorado School of Mines.

Samson, specialist in performance cordage, has furthered its commitment to research and development by hiring Greg Mozsgai, Senior R&D Engineer; Mark Pederson, R&D Engineer; and Dylan Dundas, Sales Support Technician. Greg Mozsgai comes to Samson with an MS degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (U of I) and a BS degree in Engineering Science from Trinity University, San Antonio, Texas. His diverse experience includes microelectromechanical-systems (MEMS) design and fabrication. Most recently, he worked for a start up spun out of the U of I, manufacturing small fuel cells as battery replacements for portable electronics in both the consumer and industrial/military markets. As Senior R&D Engineer, Mr.

Samson, specializing in performance cordage, held a ribbon cutting ceremony on February 10, 2009, to celebrate its recent business expansion that will enable the production of a broad range of products for the offshore oil and gas industry. The multi-million dollar expansion includes the addition of new technical engineering staff and sales staff, as well as adding more than 35,000 sq ft to Samson’s Lafayette, La., synthetic-rope manufacturing plant. The new space accommodates new braiding and take-up equipment specifically tailored to produce very long, large-diameter synthetic ropes. The expansion adds enough floor space to accommodate two new rope braiders and support equipment: a Herzog 48-strand horizontal braider…

With the introduction of three new double-hull petroleum barges in 2005, Paul Tregurtha, chairman of Moran Towing Corporation, announced that the company is on track to achieve its goal of operating an all double-hull fleet by the end of 2006. In the first seven months of 2005, Moran introduced two newly built double-hull petroleum barges, New Hampshire and Georgia, both built at Bay Shipbuilding in Wisconsin, and a newly converted double-hulled barge Massachusetts, delivered from Gulf Marine Repair in Florida. The three barges, with a combined cargo carrying capacity of 360,000 barrels, were matched with ocean-going tugs from the Moran fleet, all with articulated (ATB) coupler systems that allow the tug to remain permanently in the barge notch when underway.

JHRG has teamed with Samson Rope Technologies in the design, development and marketing of chafe gear products. The new product line made of patented materials offers significant advantages over other chafe gear materials currently on the market in terms of extending the durability of high-performance ropes, in-field installation and reduced weight.