Construction of the hull for Nexan’s Aurora vessel is underway at the Crist shipyard in Poland.
The grand blocks, which are the hull’s major components, are being assembled at Crist, which is in the Polish port of Gdynia.
The vessel will be completed at Ulstein Verft in Norway, with delivery planned for 2021.
Representatives from Nexans, the shipbuilders, the ship designer and other project partners were present at the celebration to mark the milestone in the cable vessel’s construction.
The DP3 cable laying vessel will be outfitted for power cable laying, including bundle laying, cable jointing and repair and cable system protection and trenching.
Nexans stated Aurora will “play a vital role” in installing high voltage submarine cables for offshore wind farms and electricity interconnectors between countries.
The Aurora design is based on the input of Nexans, Skipsteknisk, Ulstein Verft and MAATS Tech.
Nexans subsea and land systems vice president Ragnhild Katteland said: “The construction of this groundbreaking cable laying vessel is a major milestone in our long term strategy for the future of the global energy market.
“It will enable Nexans to maintain and extend our position as an important turnkey player in the field of subsea cables.
In particular, the capability to install cables at even greater depths will contribute to securing the world’s energy supply and advancing the shift to environmentally friendly green electricity from renewables. Nexans Aurora will be a crucial asset.”
Ulstein Verft will carry out the final outfitting, commissioning and testing prior to the vessel’s delivery.
Aurora will have a 10,000 tonne capacity and split turntable, and is “well prepared for complex construction tasks in severe weather conditions anywhere in the world”, according to Nexans.