Belgian marine contractor Jan De Nul will be expanding its fleet with two trenching vessels to support subsea cable installation and protection. The vessel will come with a new trenching support vessel equipped with a trencher, an ultra-modern subsea robot. Operated from the deck, the robot can bury cables up to five metres deep. The vessel is an Ulstein design and will be built at the CMHI shipyard in China. Like all recent Jan De Nul vessels, it will be equipped with ultra-low emission technology. This technology filters up to 99% of nanoparticles from exhaust gases and reduces the number of polluting substances. The vessel’s engines can run on biofuel and are prepared for future operation on methanol. “With the Fleeming Jenkin and the William Thomson, we will soon expand our fleet with two XL vessels for the installation of subsea cables. Investing in vessels capable of protecting those same cables is a logical next step. Last year, we announced the rock installation vessel, George W. Goethals. Now, we are also expanding our fleet with vessels designed to bury cables safely in the seabed,” said Wouter Vermeersch, director of subsea cables for offshore energy at Jan De Nul. The second vessel will be converted from the company’s Henry Darcy vessel into a trenching support vessel, equipped with a subsea robot specialised in burying cables in shallow waters. This robot was recently ordered from partner Osbit. Currently, Jan De Nul has four vessels under construction for the installation and protection of subsea cables, and one vessel under conversion. googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1_95_0_1_2'); }); TagsBelgium China