Jan De Nul, a Belgian maritime works giant, has launched the Fleeming Jenkin, the world’s largest cable-laying vessel with a cargo capacity of 28,000 tons. The vessel was launched into the water by flooding the dry dock of the CMHI Haimen shipyard in China, thus initiating the final phase of its construction prior to its delivery, scheduled for the second half of 2026.
A floating giant designed from the inside
The Fleeming Jenkin was conceived entirely by Jan De Nul engineers and features three cable carousels, two above deck and one below deck, and a large fiber optic cable hold, allowing up to four cables to be laid simultaneously.
The system allows for tensions of up to 150 tons and operations at depths of up to 3,000 meters. Thanks to these features, it can carry twice as much cable as any similar vessel today, allowing it to undertake longer voyages and larger projects without having to return to port to reload.
A green boat to install green infrastructure
The cable-laying vessel also incorporates ultra-low emission technology (ULEv), such as a dual exhaust filtration system, which removes up to 99% of harmful particles, reducing nitrogen oxides (NOx) and complying with EURO VI regulations.
It is also prepared to run on biofuels and environmentally friendly methanol, and its hybrid electric propulsion, supported by a 2.5 MWh battery, allows optimized management of energy consumption.
What will be the ship’s first mission?
Once operational, the vessel will begin its first major task under the 2GW program. 2GW program of TenneTthe Dutch and German power grid operator, in which it will install more than 2,800 kilometers of submarine cables to connect offshore wind farms to the onshore grid, a distance of more than 700 kilometers.
Each of these new connections will be capable of transmitting up to 2 gigawatts, more than double the capacity of current systems. This deployment will accelerate the integration of offshore wind power in Europe.
A fleet ready to connect continents
The Fleeming Jenkin will work alongside her sister ship, the William Thomson, forming the spearhead of Jan De Nul’s fleet for long distance interconnection projects.
The Fleeming Jenkin combines all the cable installation expertise we have accumulated over the past fifteen years. Both the vessel and the technologies on board were designed by our in-house specialists and the result is a vessel that operates very efficiently, reducing both the cost and the ecological footprint of our projects.
Wouter Vermeersch, director of subsea cables for offshore energy at Jan De Nul.
With this new addition, Jan De Nul will gain a fundamental piece of floating infrastructure that will bring Europe and the world closer to a cleaner and more connected energy future.
Source and Photo: Jan De Nul