WATCH: Prysmian’s cable layer going on final prep mission ahead of gig at UK’s huge renewable superhighway

With the launch of its new cable-laying vessel (CLV) out of the way, Italy’s Prysmian has confirmed the start of the ship’s journey to Norway, where outfitting completion, systems commissioning, and trials will take place before the cable layer embarks on its inaugural job at a high voltage direct current (HVDC) cable connection in the UK.

After the Italian cable giant disclosed plans to invest in the CLV Monna Lisa, a sister vessel to Leonardo da Vinci, two years ago, a keel-laying ceremony was held in Tulcea, Romania, in April 2023 to mark the start of the ship’s construction. VARD launched the 171-meter vessel in June 2024 after completing steel cutting, keel laying, generator installation, and hull erection.

The Monna Lisa cable laying vessel is now making its way to Norway to undertake final fit-out and trials before it goes into service in early 2025 to start its maiden assignment on the $5 billion Eastern Green Link 2 (EGL2) project, a joint venture between SSEN Transmission and National Grid. This green electricity superhighway is said to be the longest HVDC cable connection ever built in Great Britain.

With two carousels of 7,000 and 10,000 tonnes, along with 100 tonnes of cable-pulling capacity, the vessel is expected to play a big role in bringing EGL2 to life, laying the high-voltage subsea cable that will take clean energy from the north of Scotland to areas of demand further south in the UK.

The UK is making headway in progressing Eastern Green Link 2, with construction works on track to begin in the autumn. The project’s marine survey activities recently resumed, with a detailed geophysical survey to identify potential unexploded ordnance.

Britain believes that EGL2 will bolster its energy security and help pave the way toward net zero by supporting the country’s target of hitting 50 GW offshore wind power capacity by 2030. The HVDC cable connection from Scotland to England will encompass 436 km of submarine cable and 69 km of onshore cable. The project is expected to be put into operation in 2029. 

Prysmian will also provide cable systems for the UK’s Eastern Green Link 1 (EGL1) network development project between Scotland and England with the offshore installation activities requiring the deployment of its cable-laying vessel of the Leonardo da Vinci class.