Overview
EN ISO 1969:2004 - Fibre ropes: Polyethylene - 3- and 4-strand ropes specifies requirements for polyethylene fibre ropes manufactured as 3-strand hawser-laid (type A) and 4-strand shroud-laid (type B) constructions for general service (excluding fittings). Published by CEN and identical to ISO 1969:2004, the standard defines designation rules, physical-property requirements and conformity with related rope standards.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and constructions
- Covers 3-strand hawser-laid (type A) and 4-strand shroud-laid (type B) polyethylene ropes.
- Excludes fittings; applies to ropes for general service.
- Designation rules
- Ropes are designated by: “fibre rope”, standard number, construction type, reference number and material.
- Example: Fibre rope ISO 1969 - B - 40 – PE (4‑strand, reference number 40, polyethylene).
- Physical properties
- Specifies linear density (ktex) and minimum breaking force (kN) in tabulated form for reference numbers (approximate diameters).
- Linear density is the net mass per length measured under reference tension as defined in ISO 2307.
- Breaking forces apply to new dry and wet ropes; values are reduced by 10% for ropes with eye-spliced terminations.
- Manufacture, labelling and delivery
- Construction, lay, manufacture, labelling, packaging, invoicing and delivery lengths must conform to ISO 9554 (general rope specification).
- Testing and limitations
- Normative references include ISO 1968 (terms/definitions) and ISO 2307 (test methods).
- The standard warns test-derived breaking forces may not predict real-world performance: knots, bends around sheaves or capstans, termination type and prior load history can significantly reduce strength.
Applications and users
EN ISO 1969:2004 is used by:
- Rope manufacturers and quality managers to set product specifications for polyethylene 3‑ and 4‑strand ropes.
- Buyers and procurement teams specifying ropes for general service use.
- Testing laboratories and conformity assessors performing linear density and breaking-strength tests.
- Engineers and rigging professionals in maritime, port, offshore, fishing and industrial lifting/ mooring contexts where polyethylene strand ropes are selected for their properties.
Related standards
- ISO 1968 - Fibre ropes and cordage: Terms and definitions
- ISO 2307 - Ropes: Determination of physical and mechanical properties (test methods)
- ISO 9554 - Fibre ropes: General specification (manufacture, labelling, delivery)
Keywords: EN ISO 1969:2004, polyethylene ropes, 3-strand hawser-laid, 4-strand shroud-laid, linear density, minimum breaking force, rope designation, ISO 2307, ISO 9554.