Prysmian has invested approximately €200m in a new cable-layer vessel, plus cables adjustment equipment worth approximately €40m.
The new vessel will be fully operational by early 2025 and will help bolster Prysmian’s project execution capabilities and its engineering, procurement, construction and installation (EPCI) approach.
The new vessel will be built by the Vard, a subsidiary of the Fincantieri Group.
The new cable-laying vessel will be similar to Leonardo da Vinci, which was delivered in 2021 and exceeded all expectations in its first year of operations, Prysmian said.
“The development of more efficient and sustainable power grids infrastructure is key to enable the energy transition, and submarine cables are an essential component.
“As global leader we are fully committed to technology innovation and we are happy to partner with worldwide leaders in the construction of vessels like Fincantieri and Vard to improve also our installation capabilities” stated Valerio Battista, CEO Prysmian Group.
Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO of Fincantieri, said: “The complexity of such a ship fully demonstrates Fincantieri’s ability to ensure its customers technological excellence, constant innovation and commitment to sustainability.
“Indeed, the highly demanding context in which the vessel will operate, both in terms of environment and hi-tech requirements, will enhance the sophisticated latest generation onboard systems.
“We are therefore particularly pleased to serve Prysmian – once again – with a successful project in a sector such as the cabling one, while supporting energy transition, which will attract investments in the near future”.
With substantially the same hull of Leonardo Da Vinci, a length of approximately 170 metres and a breadth of about 34 metres, the new cable-laying vessel will also be equipped with similar cable installation equipment, such as a first laying line with a capstan suitable for deep water installation at over 3,000 metres, a second independent laying line with linear cable engines in order to increase operating flexibility, two carousels of 7000 and 10,000 tonnes, which ensure the highest cable loading capacity in the market, enabling a reduced transportation time from the factory to the site.
The bollard pull will be in excess of 180 tonnes conferring the capability to perform complex installation operations and supporting a variety of burial tools.
The vessel will be equipped with DP3 positioning and seakeeping systems, while the maximum transit speed will exceed 16 knots.
Once operational, the new vessel will be dedicated to the execution of projects, such as Dominion Energy, the largest submarine cabling project ever secured by Prysmian in the US, the Neuconnect Energy Link project, the first power cable connection between the UK and Germany, and the Dolwin4 and Borwin4 projects, two offshore wind farm grid connection cable systems in Germany.