On 4 April 2024, the keel laying ceremony took place for the DP3 cable laying vessel (CLV) Nexans Electra. This vessel will transport and lay various types of subsea cables, including cable bundles, as well as handle recovery and repair operations for Nexans Marine Operations AS in Norway, according to Nexans's release.
The Nexans Electra is the second ship ordered by Nexans at Ulstein Verft and an updated version of Nexans’ flagship, the Nexans Aurora, a 2021 delivery.
The hull construction is well underway in Crist, Poland, while the remaining engineering, outfitting, system integration, equipment preparations, testing, sea trials, and finalisation will occur at Ulstein Verft in Norway. The ST-297 design has been developed by Skipsteknisk in Ålesund, a Norwegian ship design and engineering company.
The Nexans Electra will be outfitted for power cable laying with a two-carousel solution, including bundle laying, cable jointing, repair, cable system protection, and trenching. She can simultaneously lay up to four cables and will be outfitted to perform effectively in challenging weather conditions. Her exceptional manoeuvrability and station-keeping capabilities make her a valuable asset.
During the steel-cutting ceremony in January, Frode Beyer, Nexans’ project manager, expressed satisfaction with the close collaboration between designers, engineers, the shipyard, and the shipowner, which enabled construction to begin on schedule. The project continues to progress according to plan.
Nexans Electra measures 149.9m in length and 31m in beam and has a dead weight of 17,000 t. She can accommodate up to 90 people.
This cable laying vessel has the following features:
A split turntable on deck can hold up to 10,000t of cable.
An under-deck turntable with a 3,500t cable capacity.
A fibre optic basket holding 450t.