Top 10 Cable Laying Ships in the World

Cable-laying ships are specialised vessels that lay underwater cables on the ocean floor or the seabed. These cables are used for telecommunications, data and electricity transmissions, and even defence.

Modern Cable layers are stable and highly manoeuvrable and undertake cable repairs and maintenance. They usually weigh around 11,000 tonnes and can lay two to three cable lines simultaneously. They are built to work in harsh and challenging environments and are operated by highly trained personnel.

They have specialised equipment to help them in their tasks. You can easily tell apart a cable layer from other ships due to their onboard machinery, such as cranes, massive pulley wheels for the cable, linear cable engines, dynamic positioning systems, ploughs for burying the cable under the sea bed, etc.

In this article, we will discuss the Top 10 Cable Laying Ships.

1. Seaway Phoenix

One of the world’s most advanced cable-laying vessels is Seaway7’s Phoenix. It was built to meet the requirements of the offshore oil and natural gas industry. The Seaway Phoenix installs new cables and can efficiently undertake cable repairs.

Seaway Phoenix was constructed in 2003 and is sailing under the Isle of Man Flag. Its LOA is 129.9 m, and its breadth is 27.8 m. Its operating draft ranges between 4.8 and 8.4 m.

Its cable loading capacity is 4000 tonnes, and it has 58 cabins. Its deck spans 880 m2 and houses all machinery, a workshop and cranes.

The vessel has two Remotely Operated Underwater Vehicles or ROVs.

It is part of the Seaway7 Fleet, which contains two more cable-laying vessels, Seaway Aimery and Seaway Moxie.

The company is a part of the Subsea7 Group and is engaged in several offshore wind farm projects. It also offers management, fabrication, turbine installation and equipment transportation services. It also has 6 transportation vessels, 2 heavy lift vessels and an installation vessel.

2. Nexans Aurora

This DP3 cable layer is designed for laying HVDC and HVAC cables, bundle laying, cable repair, protection, and trenching in the deep sea and near-shore environments. It was built for operating in harsh conditions and is highly manoeuvrable.

Nexans Subsea Operations owns Aurora, which was constructed by Ulstein Verft AS in 2021. Aurora is 149.9 m long and 31 m wide, making it ideal for subsea construction. It can easily accommodate 90 people onboard.

It has a deadweight of 17,000 tonnes, can operate at a maximum speed of 14 knots, can carry 10,000 tonnes of cable and has a 450-tonne fibre optic tank.

Nexans Aurora is equipped to install high-voltage submarine cables linking offshore wind farms to the electricity line.

It has specialised equipment to ensure the safe transportation of cables and proper installation.

It was designed with an emphasis on sustainability and boasts features like barrier technology, biodegradable lubricants, etc, to reduce its carbon footprint.

3. Leonardo da Vinci

This US $170 million vessel was constructed by Vard Group for Prysmian. Earlier cable layers had a cable capacity of just 7000 tonnes, but this vessel has a capacity of 17,000 tonnes.

Leonardo da Vinci is 170 m long and 34 m wide and can install cables at a water depth of over 3000 metres. It is highly advanced and efficient, able to lay and bury cable simultaneously, hence completing the projects faster.

It has a nitrogen oxide reduction system, eco-friendly engines, a dynamic positioning system and around 600 kilometres of Prysmian cables.

With a bollard pull of more than 180 tonnes and 2 laying lines, the vessel undertakes complex installation using an array of burial equipment.

It can operate at a speed of over 16 knots and has a battery for times when high energy is needed, reducing fuel consumption.

It mainly works for offshore wind farms and substations but was also designed for long and complex projects spanning huge distances, like laying underwater power cables connecting islands to the mainland.

4. NKT Victoria

NKT Victoria is a cable installation vessel designed to provide project flexibility while lowering the risks associated with the project.

It has state-of-the-art onboard systems ensuring the safety and proper execution of tasks with utmost precision. To fulfil this objective, NKT Victoria has ROVs with sonar systems and cameras.

It is also one of the world’s most fuel-efficient cable layers and can run on even biofuels and hydrotreated vegetable oil.

This 140 m long vessel produces 55% less carbon dioxide emissions than other large cable-laying vessels and 80% less nitrogen oxide emissions than its counterparts.

It can carry 11,000 tonnes of high voltage cables and has a fibre optic tank with a 500-tonne capacity below its deck. NKT Victoria can lay HVDC and HVAC cable systems in deep sea areas.

5. Maersk Connector

This Deep Ocean cable laying vessel was designed to install DP2 cables. It serves the renewable energy sector and solves the issues of interconnection with ease.

Maersk Connector is 138.35 m long, 27.45 m wide, and 9.6 m deep. Its deadweight is 9317 tonnes, and its Gross tonnage is 10510 tonnes.

It has a 7-point anchorage system and is capable of laying cables directly on the surface, reducing the number of joints needed.

It can lay 2 cables simultaneously and even operate in shallow waters. It also has work-class ROVs, a 50-tonne subsea crane, and a helideck. The vessel can accommodate up to 90 people.

6. Living Stone

One of the world’s largest subsea cable layers, Living Stone, has an LOA of 161 m and a breadth of 32 m. Its deadweight is about 13,000 tonnes, and its draught is 6.5 m.

This multi-purpose vessel not only lays cables but also engages in offshore transportation, trenching, and rock installation.

It was constructed by LaNaval for DEME, a company involved in marine construction. After its launch in 2016, the vessel was deployed to the biggest offshore wind farm in the world, Hornsea Project One, where it completed installing cables in 2018.

Its design is quite eco-friendly, with the use of biodegradable fuel and wind turbines that reduce fuel consumption and carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur emissions.

It also has a helideck and accommodates around 100 people in 24 double and 52 single cabins. Its double main deck spans 3600 m2, and its moonpool is 7.9 m long.

Living Stone has a 600-tonne crane for installing and removing subsea structures and boasts a Kongsberg K-POS DP3 Dynamic Positioning System. It can operate at a maximum speed of 14 knots.

7. Isaac Newton

This is one of the most advanced and largest cable-laying ships, and it can undertake various cable-laying operations.

Isaac Newton was ordered in 2013 and delivered to Jan De Nul Group in 2015 by Croatia’s Ujlanik Brodogradiliste Shipyard.

It can lay pipes, install cables underwater, and dump stones on the ocean floor to protect the submarine cables.

It also has trenching capabilities and can function as an offshore support vessel. Isaac Newton can also undertake subsea rock installation.

The 138 m long and 32 m wide ship has a Deadweight of 13,436 tonnes and is currently sailing under the Flag of Luxembourg.

It can easily carry and install more than 10,000 tonnes of cable in a single voyage. It has 2 carousels, the biggest of which has a carrying capacity of 7400 tonnes. Hence, the vessel can install cables of longer lengths with fewer joints.

8. CS Global Sentinel

This cable-laying vessel has an LOA of 145.66 m and a width of 21.6 m. It is sailing under the flag of the United States.

She was constructed by Far East Shipbuilding Industries, Singapore, in 1991 for Transoceanic Cable Ship Co. Inc.

Global Sentinel has 2 sister ships, CS Global Link and CS Global Mariner.

In 1997, she was purchased by Tyco Submarine Systems Ltd. She was in Baltimore, which is also her homeport, to undertake cable repairs in the Atlantic Ocean.

Throughout her career, she has worked in many challenging environments, including in Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Cyprus, and others.

She has diesel-electric propulsion, three Wartsila engines, three generators, and four thrusters. Global Sentinel can sail continuously for two months and can accommodate 138 people.

She has a deadweight of 8527 tonnes and has an ROV and a sea plow for cable laying.

9. CS Fu Hai

This cable-laying vessel is versatile and can perform sub-sea installation in most conditions. It boasts a successful track record of completed projects in the oil and gas, power utility and telecommunications sectors.

It is a part of the S.B. Submarine Systems (SBSS) fleet. SBSS is a provider of marine services in Asia, including undersea cable installation and maintenance. It serves the power cable sector, fibre optics, telecommunications, oil and gas and renewable energy markets.

This DP-2 Vessel has a 60-tonne A-frame and a maximum cable-lifting capacity of 5700 tonnes. It flaunts a high bollard pull of 110 tonnes and an HP-1500 plough and ROV onboard. She has an endurance of 45 days.

It was constructed in 2000 by Volkswerft Stralsund GMBH and is currently sailing under the Panamanian Flag.

Fu Hai is 105.8 m long and has a gross tonnage of 6303 tonnes. She has 2 cable tanks, each capable of carrying 2600 tonnes. It can comfortably accommodate 68 people.

There are 2 rescue boats and 10 liferafts onboard the Fu Hai.

10. Resolute

This cable-laying vessel measures 139.1 m lengthwise and 21 m breadthwise. It can travel at a speed of 14 knots and is currently sailing under the Marshall Islands Flag.

It was built in 2002 by Keppel Shipyard, Singapore and has a gross tonnage of 12184 tonnes and a deadweight of 10277 tonnes.

Resolute’s Home Port is Majuro, and she is equipped with 5 diesel engines. Her cable laying capacity is around 5465 metric tonnes.

It has plows for cable laying and a dynamic positioning system, including a VSAT satellite for communication purposes. It also has a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Its special feature is 360-degree complete manoeuvrability due to the absence of rudders in its superstructure.

Apart from laying new cables, it also undertakes complex cable repair operations in challenging environments.

Conclusion

Cable-laying Ships play a pivotal role in the installation and maintenance of communication networks which span across continents.

The demand for Cable-Laying Ships has increased over the last decade as demands for faster global connectivity have surged.

Today, these ships are used in several sectors for various reasons, including transmitting power to oil and gas rigs, carrying power produced from offshore wind farms to power stations, or linking the islands to the mainland.

Underwater cables transmit 90% of the world’s data. These cables, laid in deep ocean environments, are beneficial compared to land cables, which are restricted in terms of their length or longevity due to natural factors like storms, rainfall, or snow.

As the maritime industry strives to become more sustainable, many companies are manufacturing cost-efficient, eco-friendly cable layers that reduce emissions.

You might also like to read-

• Cable Innovator – A Powerful Cable Launching Ship
• What is a Cable Laying Ship?
• How Undersea Cables are Laid by Cable Ships?
• CS Hooper: The World’s First Purpose Built Cable Laying Ship

About Author

Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid writer, possessing immaculate research and editing skills. Author of several academic papers, she has also worked as a freelance writer, producing many technical, creative and marketing pieces. A true aesthete at heart, she loves books a little more than anything else.

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