The Solution

A Shift Towards a More Structured Approach

A shift is beginning to take place across the industry from a linear model of “use and dispose” towards a more circular approach. In the context of mooring ropes, this means:

• Collecting retired materials in a consistent and organised way;
• Ensuring they are handled through verified and responsible channels;
• Recovering value where possible through reuse or repurposing;
• Creating traceability from vessel to final destination.

This is not a future concept. Solutions are already being developed and implemented in practice, supported by emerging infrastructure and industry collaboration.

From Cost to Awareness

One of the key insights driving this work is that rope disposal is not a new cost; it is an existing one. It is simply spread across port charges, embedded in operational processes, and very rarely consolidated or benchmarked.

By bringing structure and visibility to this process, operators can begin to:

• Understand the true cost of disposal;
• Compare and improve practices across fleets;
• Reduce reliance on unverified handling routes.

At the same time, they gain the ability to account for materials in a way that supports both operational decision-making and external reporting.

The Role of Industry Solutions

This initiative is being shaped in collaboration with organisations like C-Loop who are already working to address this challenge in practical ways. These solution providers are developing systems that enable:

• Collection of retired ropes at selected ports;
• Processing and recovery of usable materials;
• Documentation of handling and final destination;
• Provision of structured data for reporting purposes.

IMPA SAVE recognises the importance of these developments and will work to highlight and support solution providers that meet the requirements for responsible rope recycling and circularity.