Jan De Nul’s First XL Cable Layer on Sea Trials, Second to Follow

Jan De Nul’s extra-large cable-laying vessel (CLV) Fleeming Jenkin has started sea trials, soon to be followed by its twin, William Thomson.

Jan De Nul placed an order for Fleeming Jenkin at China’s CMHI Haimen shipyard in October 2023, followed by an order for William Thomson in May the following year. With a cargo capacity of 28,000 tonnes and a length of 215 metres, the two identical vessels are the largest of their kind, the company said.

It was reported on 28 August that Fleeming Jenkin was headed out to sea for the first time to undergo extensive testing. William Thomson is on schedule and is expected to follow soon.

Once operational, Fleeming Jenkin will start its first assignment for TenneT, where it will install export cables on four 2 GW grid connections, bundling and laying four cables together. This represents over 2,800 kilometres of cable being installed over a distance of more than 700 kilometres.

In 2028, Jan De Nul will also deploy one of the two vessels to install three 220 kV DC cables that will connect the Princess Elisabeth energy island to shore.

“The physical construction of the vessel started in November 2024, when there was essentially nothing there yet. Since then, we have watched her take shape step by step, from the first structures to the fully operational vessel that is now ready to head out to sea,” said Pieterjan Storme, Senior Technical Superintendent at Jan De Nul.

“That makes the sea trials a special moment for everyone who has contributed to this project over the past months and years. You can literally see all that hard work coming together. The sea trials are truly the culmination of everything we have achieved during this period.”

The duo will be able to run on biofuel and green methanol. The hybrid power plant on board also contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions and optimal fuel usage by combining the generators with a 2.5 MWh battery and drive technology.

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