According to Avient, the preliminary relief judge of the District Court of The Hague ruled on August 28, 2026, that Shanghai Port Star infringed Avient’s EU design rights and ordered the company to immediately cease the infringement throughout the European Union.

If Port Star continues to offer the products concerned, the company will be required to pay a penalty of €10,000 per day, Avient said. The court also ordered Port Star to provide information about its sales in the EU and to reimburse Avient for legal costs incurred in the proceedings.

The dispute concerns synthetic fiber link chains used in marine and industrial applications. Avient owns the Dyneema brand and supplies ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber for applications requiring a combination of high strength and low weight.

Synthetic fiber link chains manufactured using Dyneema fiber are designed as lightweight alternatives to conventional steel chains. According to Avient, their combination of strength and reduced weight can facilitate handling in applications including loading, unloading and cargo lashing in the maritime sector.

Products based on Avient’s technology and designs are marketed under license by Van Beest under the Tycan brand, Murtra under Murlink and Dolezych under DoNova.

Avient defends EU design rights

According to Avient, Shanghai Port Star marketed competing synthetic link chains made from polyethylene fibers manufactured in China rather than Dyneema fiber. The court found that the products concerned infringed Avient’s registered EU design rights and consequently ordered Port Star to cease the infringement across the EU.

“This judgment marks an important victory in the fight against imitations of Avient’s products,” said Pieter Lemstra, Global Business Director, Marine & Industrial Fibers at Dyneema, Avient. “For decades, we have invested heavily in innovation and technological development. We are frequently confronted with third parties that copy our products without undertaking any of the research and development efforts that made these innovations possible. We are pleased that the court has put a stop to these activities.”

The ruling highlights the role of intellectual property protection as fiber-based solutions increasingly replace conventional materials in demanding industrial applications. In the case of synthetic link chains, the product concept combines high-performance fibers with a chain-like construction intended to provide high load-bearing capacity while reducing weight compared with steel alternatives.

Avient said it is also considering further legal action against other parties involved in the marketing, sale or use of Port Star products or similar products that the company considers to infringe its intellectual property or design rights.