First steel cut for new Nexans cable-layer

Ulstein Verft and Nexans have cut the first steel for Nexans’ new cable-laying vessel (CLV), four months after signing the shipbuilding contract.

On January 19, on the day four months after signing the shipbuilding contract, Nexans Marine Operations and Ulstein Verft celebrated the start of the construction of Nexans’ next CLV.

Representatives from Nexans, Ulstein Verft, DNV and Crist attended the steel cutting ceremony at the Crist hull yard. Knut Flage, technical manager in Nexans’ shipbuilding project, had the honor of starting the steel cutting machine. 

The new build is Ulstein Verft’s yard number 317, and an updated version of the flagship Nexans Aurora vessel, delivered in 2021.

“We are very happy to start with the steelwork at Crist. Good cooperation in design and engineering work last months by designer, shipyard and shipowner allows us to start the fabrication on schedule,” said Frode Beyer, Project Manager at Nexans.

The new cable-laying vessel has a length of 149.9 meters and a beam of 31 meters, and can accommodate a crew of 90. The vessel is equipped with three turntables, carries a split turntable on deck with a capacity for up to 10,000t of cable, an under-deck turntable with a 3,500t cable capacity, and a basket below deck for fiber optic cables holding 450t – totally close to 14,000t cable loading capacity.

The CLV, specially designed by Skipsteknisk, will be able to carry out the transport and lay of various types of subsea cables, including cable bundles, as well as recovery and repair, and will be capable of laying up to four cables simultaneously.

Palfinger has been hired to provide a comprehensive equipment package for the vessel, Italian company Remacut, part of NOV, will deliver the cable-lay equipment, while Red Rock will provide an upgraded crane package.