Japanese shipping major NYK has made a major breakthrough in the development of a submarine cable-laying vessel, following ClassNK ‘s Approval in Principle ( AiP ) for its conceptual design. This approval strengthens the project aimed at creating a long-distance subsea direct current ( DC ) transmission network, which will connect high wind power generation areas in Japan with urban centres with the highest electricity demand.
ClassNK approves submarine cable laying vessel design
The most productive areas for wind energy, such as Hokkaido, are located far from large urban concentrations and, therefore, the demand for electricity is greater. This analysis exposes a problem related to the transport of the generated energy. The proposed solution is an underwater power transmission network that would use cable-laying vessels to implement the installation of the necessary infrastructure through the waters.
The project is owned by Sumitomo Electric , Furukawa Electric and Mitsui OSK Lines , allowing NYK to continue working on developing advanced technologies for installing high-capacity submarine cables. This effort is part of a larger project supported by Japan’s New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization ( NEDO ).
Following approval in principle for ClassNK , NYK now has the go-ahead to move forward with the detailed design of the cable-laying vessel. The self-propelled vessel will be designed to operate in specific subsea conditions.
This project seeks to connect renewable energy generation areas with high-demand areas, and by optimizing the designs of cable-laying vessels , the Japanese company hopes to improve efficiency and reduce the environmental impact of submarine cable installation operations.
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Source and photo: NYK
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