The French shipping company LD Armateurs (LDA) is expanding its fleet with three new cable-laying vessels. To this end, the company has acquired three platform supply vessels, which are to be converted for the laying and repair of subsea cables.
The three platform supply vessels (PSVs) are currently under construction and are due to be delivered in the second quarter of 2027. They will then be converted into specialised cable-laying vessels at a shipyard. They are scheduled to enter service in the first quarter of 2028. LD Armateurs has not yet disclosed which shipyards will build and subsequently convert the three vessels.
Each of the vessels is to have a cable transport capacity of 2,800 tonnes. The vessels are designed for both the laying and repair of telecommunications cables on the seabed. Furthermore, they are intended to facilitate complex operations requiring a high degree of operational flexibility. The new cable-laying vessels are to be fitted with hybrid-electric propulsion systems capable of reducing energy consumption and CO₂ emissions.
LDA responds to rising demand for subsea cables
According to the company, this investment is LD Armateurs’ response to the rising global demand for digital infrastructure and the growing need for modern cable-laying vessels.
“Building on 25 years’ experience in the laying and repair of telecommunications cables, we have decided to invest in our own fleet of next-generation cable-laying vessels,” explained LDA CEO Samira Draoua.
The aim is to support the ongoing growth of the telecommunications sector and to address the challenges involved in securing critical infrastructure. At the same time, the company wishes to respond to the need to modernise a global fleet of cable-laying vessels that is ageing and suffering from capacity bottlenecks.
In-house academy for crew training
In parallel with the fleet expansion, LD Armateurs is establishing the ‘LDA Academy’. Through this initiative, the company aims to strengthen the recruitment, training and professional development of its crews.
The academy is intended to support both the expansion of the cable business and the forthcoming commissioning of three further RoRo vessels, which are to be powered by methanol and wind assistance.
According to its own figures, LDA already operates the world’s largest fleet of cable-laying vessels in the telecommunications sector. The new academy is designed to systematically pass on existing maritime and cable-laying expertise whilst also facilitating movement between the company’s various business divisions.
