Danish cabling company NKT is investing in a new specially designed barge to transport cables on the river Rhine to increase the transportation capacity and enhance the security of delivery from its manufacturing site in Cologne, Germany.
NKT said the investment in the barge is to meet the growing demand for power cables in the offshore wind industry.
The barge has been designed and built by Neptune Marine and can operate in shallow water.
It will be fully operational in the fourth quarter of this year.
The company is also increasing capacity at its logistical centre in Rotterdam from where the offshore cables manufactured in Cologne are loaded to cable-laying vessels.
NKT executive vice president and Cologne manufacturing site head Mika Makela said: “With the investment in the purpose-built barge and in increased capacity at our logistical center in Rotterdam, we strengthen our position as a leading provider of offshore power cables.
“The investments are driven by a growing demand from the offshore industry and will enhance our delivery security even in times with abnormal weather conditions or with multiple projects being executed in parallel.”