Jan De Nul buys electric ROV for ‘world’s largest cable-laying vessel’

Jan De Nul Group has purchased an electric remotely operated vehicle (ROV) from UK subsea engineering and technology company SMD for what is said to be the world’s largest cable-laying vessel (CLV).

SMD’s Quantum EV will be integrated into Jan De Nul’s new CLV Fleeming Jenkin and deployed to offshore energy projects globally. 

“We are delighted to have received the first order for our pioneering and powerful Quantum EV, the only vehicle of its kind currently market-ready,” said SMD’s Deputy CEO Paul Davison.

“We have delivered solutions to Jan De Nul for many years and their talented team is as innovative as they come. Their new cable laying vessel, Fleeming Jenkin, will be powered by engines which can run on biofuel and green methanol, in combination with large batteries and exhaust gas treatment systems, which perfectly aligns with our sustainability targets.”

Jan De Nul announced in October 2023 that it had placed an order for the extra-large CLV at China’s CMHI Haimen shipyard. Fleeming Jenkin will have a cable-carrying capacity of 28,000 tonnes and will be equipped with three cable carousels and a large hold for fiber optic cables, capable of laying up to four cables simultaneously.

The vessel is named after Henry Charles Fleeming Jenkin (1833-1885), born in England and a Regius Professor of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh, who, as an electrical and cable engineer, was an active pioneer in offshore cable installation.

Jan Van de Velde, Director Newbuilding at Jan De Nul Group, said: “It is a pleasure to announce our continued collaboration with fellow innovator, SMD. Once built, the Fleeming Jenkin will be the world’s largest and cleanest cable-laying vessel. Our attention to environment and climate is mirrored in SMD’s Quantum EV, which not only offers superior efficiency and reliability but also consumes less energy and drastically reduces the risk of oil contamination.”