Boskalis to Add 24,000-Ton Cable-Lay Vessel in 2029
Boskalis has approved an investment in a cable-lay vessel with 24,000 tonnes of carousel capacity for long-distance interconnector and offshore wind cable installation. The vessel, which is expected to enter service in 2029, will carry two 12,000-tonne carousels and accommodate longer continuous cable sections.
Boskalis has decided to invest in a new high-capacity cable-lay vessel designed for long-distance interconnector and offshore wind transmission projects. The company expects the vessel to enter service in 2029, expanding a fleet that currently includes three cable-lay vessels and a trenching support vessel.
The new vessel will have two 12,000-tonne cable carousels, one of them concentric. Boskalis said the configuration will allow it to install longer continuous cable sections, reducing the number of offshore joints and potentially improving long-term cable integrity. The vessel will be targeted particularly at high-voltage direct current cable work as cross-border transmission and offshore wind grid connections require longer cable runs.
The investment represents a significant addition to the future cable-installation market, where vessel capacity and carousel size can determine which export cable and interconnector packages contractors can execute. Boskalis said it has worked on more than 140 subsea cable-related projects over more than 15 years. The release did not identify a shipyard, vessel price, construction contract or specific initial project.