Jan De Nul Orders XL Cable-Laying Vessel Fleeming Jenkin

Jan De Nul Group has ordered an extra-large cable-laying vessel, the Fleeming Jenkin, at the CMHI Haimen shipyard.

With an unrivalled cable-carrying capacity of 28,000 tonnes, the vessel will serve the renewable energy and subsea cable industry in installing cables over longer distances and in deeper waters. The vessel will be delivered in 2026.

Offshore wind farms go deeper and further offshore, and the interconnectivity between countries and regions become essential for the economy and energy security. Both markets today require longer, stronger and heavier cables for deeper waters. For that reason, Jan De Nul continues to invest in installation assets and human resources to serve the offshore energy industry.

Philippe Hutse, Director Offshore Energy Division at Jan De Nul Group: “We stand firm in our belief in the energy transition. Following our previous investments in the jack-up vessel Voltaire and crane vessel Les Alizés for the installation of the next-gen wind turbines and their foundations, we now proceed with this magnificent cable-laying vessel. Thanks to her unprecedented capabilities, Fleeming Jenkin will be a perfect fit for the interconnector and export cable markets.”

Jan De Nul’s offshore installation fleet will count four powerful and diverse cable-laying vessels, next to two offshore jack-up installation vessels, three floating crane installation vessels, five rock installation vessels and two multipurpose vessels.

This diverse fleet cannot operate without a strong team. Jan De Nul already started recruiting extra crew and staff members to operate Fleeming Jenkin. Supported by an extensive in-house training program, a multidisciplinary team of dynamic positioning officers, engineering technicians, tensioner carrousel operators, cable-laying superintendents, various specialized offshore technicians and engineers in civil and mechanical engineering will be put together and become part of Jan De Nul's leading workforce specialized in offshore energy.

The cable-carrying capacity of Fleeming Jenkin is a first for the offshore installation market.

• Cable-carrying capacity of 28,000 tonnes

Fleeming Jenkin will be equipped with three (3) cable carousels and a large hold for fiber optic cables, capable of laying up to four cables simultaneously. Two carousels are mounted on deck, with a third below deck. The combined cable-carrying capacity amounts to 28,000 tonnes, which is double the capacity of any other cable-laying vessel on the market.

• Water depths up to 3,000 meters and cable tensions up to 150 tonnes

The vessel is designed to install longer and heavier cables, into ultra-deep waters up to 3,000 meters.

On the aft deck, the vessel is equipped with a chute and a cable-laying wheel. In combination with the tensioners, the chute allows installation of cables in shallow waters, while the cable-laying wheel makes installation at great depths more efficient. The tensioners enable the vessel to handle and control cable tensions up to 150 tonnes – the weight of the Statue of Liberty.

• Powerful DP2 system with an additional bow thruster

The vessel is equipped with a powerful DP2 system, enabling her to operate steadily in deep, but also in shallow waters, thanks to an additional third bow thruster.

Wouter Vermeersch, Manager Offshore Cables at Jan De Nul Group: “Fleeming Jenkin bundles all the cable installation expertise we’ve gained over the past decade. This vessel and technologies on board are designed by our in-house specialists. In 2013 we changed the power cable installation market by introducing our cable-laying vessel Isaac Newton with higher carrying capacities than available on the market. Today, we continue our pioneering entrepreneurship by ordering the world’s most advanced cable-laying vessel. We look forward to welcoming this new ability to further satisfy our customers worldwide.”

This vessel is a tribute to Henry Charles Fleeming Jenkin.

The vessel is named after Henry Charles Fleeming Jenkin (1833-1885), born in England and a Regius Professor of Engineering at the University of Edinburgh. As an electrical and cable engineer, Jenkin was an active pioneer in offshore cable installation.