Jan De Nul launches second newbuild cable laying vessel

Jan De Nul has launched the William Thomson, one of two identical subsea cable-laying vessels currently under construction in China. With a cargo capacity of 28,000 tonnes and a length of 215 metres, these vessels are described as the largest of their kind.

The Belgian firm said the two new vessels were built to install these cables in both shallow and ultra-deep waters reaching depths of 4,000 metres. The William Thomson is equipped with three cable carousels and a large hold for fibre optic cables, allowing it to lay four cables simultaneously.

The power plant on board is a hybrid system that combines generators with a 2.5 MWh battery and drive technology. Jan de Nul remarked that this setup is designed for peak shaving, load smoothing, and maintaining a spinning reserve while optimising engine loading.