Jan De Nul announced that it is expanding its offshore energy fleet with two additional vessels designed to bury submarine cables. Following the recent order of the rock installation vessel George W. Goethals, these ships will provide infrastructure protection.
Four vessels are currently under construction and one is undergoing conversion to support the installation of subsea infrastructure. Wouter Vermeersch, Director Subsea Cables Offshore Energy at Jan De Nul, stated that investing in cable protection is a "logical step" for the company.
Built at the CMHI shipyard in China, a new trenching support vessel featuring an Ulstein design will enter the fleet. This vessel will be equipped with a subsea robot capable of burying cables up to five metres deep.
The company will also convert the Henry Darcy into a trenching support vessel for shallow water operations. This conversion includes a subsea robot recently ordered from the company Osbit, which will be specialised in burying cables.
“With the Fleeming Jenkin and the William Thomson, we will soon expand our fleet with two vessels for the installation of subsea cables,” Vermeersch noted. He added that the company is prepared to support the expansion of offshore energy production through these investments.
While Jan De Nul declined to comment on specific financial figures, Vermeersch described the current development efforts as "significant."