The Polish Industrial Development Agency (ARP) and Tele-Fonika Kable have signed a letter of intent to collaborate in the construction of an offshore installation unit cable lay vessel (CLV) to build and service offshore wind farms mainly in the Baltic Sea.
The vessel will be capable of sailing and operating in other waters, especially the North Sea.
Construction of the CLV ship is an operationally and economically justified investment due to the dynamic development of MEW projects, as well as other installation and infrastructure projects carried out and planned in the Polish coastal economic zone, ARP said.
Moreover, there is a noticeable lack of vessels for laying and repairing submarine cables on the Polish and global market, as the market for the construction of such installations at the bottom of sea areas is currently in a phase of rapid growth, it added.
Radosław Niedzielski, vice-president of the management board of ARP, said: “The Industrial Development Agency S.A. supports the implementation of innovative projects to maximise the national supply chain for offshore wind energy not only by increasing the manufacturing potential of the shipbuilding industry, as well as expanding design, shipowner and operator competences.
“Our leading activities concern the offshore wind energy sector, which is why we are involved in the idea of building marine units intended for laying and repairing submarine cables.
“We hope that cooperation in this field with Tele-Fonika Kable will strengthen the position of Polish entrepreneurs in the sector of highly specialised units providing services in the offshore sector and other infrastructure projects.”