SBSS barge all set for offshore wind cabling

SB Submarine Systems (SBSS) cable installation and maintenance barge Fu Yong 6 has completed its very first 220kV power cable loading in Jiangsu, China.

The Chinese company recently completed sea trials and took delivery of Fu Yong 6 on long-term charter from Zhoushan Yongbo Shipping.

The barge is now ready for the export cable installation on Guoneng Dafeng offshore wind farm.

Fu Yong 6 is a multi-purpose cable lay barge with a 5,500t cable carousel; caterpillar track tensioners and a 6-point mooring system.

The barge is an ex-transportation pontoon purposely modified by SBSS in 2020 for subsea power cable works.

It also has grounding capability, which will allow SBSS to target the shallow water high-voltage export cable installation market.

In addition, Fu Yong 6 can carry out shallow water Pre Lay Shore End operations in the telecommunications sector.

Furthermore, SBSS restructured its fleet in 2020 through the upgrade of CS Fu Hai and retirement of CS Fu An.

The vessel upgrade has included the mobilisation of Sealion III, trenching ROV onboard CS Fu Hai in early November.

This is the second time that the company has boosted CS Fu Hai’s submarine capabilities in recent years.