The Norwegian shipyard Ulstein Verft has moved the hull of the new cable carrier “Nexans Electra” out of the dock hall. This step marks an important milestone in the construction of the special ship.
The “Nexans Electra” is intended for laying the high-voltage submarine cables required for offshore wind farms, interconnectors and other energy projects. The total capacity of the ship for the French Nexans Group is 13,500 tons, spread over three turntables, and up to four cables can be processed simultaneously.
The newbuild is based on the “ST-297-CLV” design by Skipsteknisk and further develops the concept of the “Nexans Aurora“, which will enter service in 2021. The ship, which is around 150 m long and 31 m wide with a draught of 12.8 m up to the main deck, has a load capacity of around 17,000 tdw and can accommodate up to 90 people. A split turntable for up to 10,000 t of cable, a lower deck turntable for 3,500 t and a separate tank for 450 t of fiber optic cable are available for demanding offshore operations. Up to four cables can be laid in parallel in a bundle.
A DP3 positioning system ensures maximum positioning accuracy. It is supported by three azimuth drives from Brunvoll, additional tunnel units and a retractable drive. The hybrid drive enables operation with biodiesel and includes an energy storage system to optimize consumption and as an emergency reserve. The electrical equipment was supplied by ABB and includes generators, transformers, frequency converters, a DC switchboard for the battery system and a higher-level energy management system.
The hull was built entirely in the shipyard’s closed dock hall from the start of construction. The final project phase now begins with the transfer from the indoor dock to the outfitting quay. The final assembly work, further coatings and extensive system tests will be carried out there. Trial runs are scheduled for spring 2026.
The outfitting is already well advanced. Among other things, the main generators, the energy system, deck machinery and various components on the foredeck and working decks have been installed.
