Bio Dyneema® next move in Marlow Ropes sustainability drive

Marlow Ropes, Official Cordage Supplier to the Clipper 2019-20 Race, continues its drive towards greener practices with its latest change to using Bio Dyneema® in all of its products.

Having already paved the way with the industry's first mooring lines made from 100% recycled plastic bottles, the Blue Ocean® Dockline, this latest move to using Bio Dyneema® by the British Manufacturer reduces reliance on fossil fuels and helps Marlow achieve its sustainability and carbon footprint reduction targets. With the Blue Ocean® Dockline already in use on board the Clipper 70s it is positive to see Clipper Race Partners striving towards more sustainable practices.

Bio-based Dyneema® has identical technical characteristics and performance as conventional Dyneema®, but uses waste from the pulp and timber industry as its primary raw-material. Known as the world’s strongest, lightest fibre – 15 times stronger than steel, yet floats on water – Dyneema® is an ingredient material in many of Marlow’s highest performance ropes, including the D2 Racing line chosen for the Clipper Race circumnavigation.

Bio-based Dyneema® is ISCC certified, as sustainable and renewable via “mass-balancing”. This means that the Ethylene feedstock used to make Dyneema® is transitioned from conventional petrochemical sources to sustainable and renewable sources with no change to the manufacturing process or the quality and performance of the yarn. Therefore, any rope made with Bio-based Dyneema® by Marlow, directly contributes to reduced CO2 emissions and has a lower environmental impact.

Paul Honess, Leisure Marine Sales Director said: “The Blue Ocean® range is also set to further expand into running rigging with more products being released later this year. Along with the Blue Ocean® Dockline which is proven across the Clipper Race fleet, it means that for future editions Marlow potentially could supply the fleet with rope that all, has either been manufactured from recycled materials, or is sourced from sustainable materials.”

For insight into making the rope that rigs the Clipper Race fleet take a look at when the Clipper Race crew got an exclusive look behind the scenes at the Marlow Ropes factory in Hailsham, East Sussex, before the start of the 2019-20 edition.