Prysmian plans to add two cutting-edge cable-laying vessels to further expand its cable-laying vessel fleet to support the company’s ability to ship and deliver the energy-demand capacity needs.

A press release said that the investment of approximately €350 million for the two new vessels will reinforce Prysmian’s submarine project execution capabilities. “The market is tremendously growing, and we are facing an increasing demand for submarine cable systems for interconnections and offshore wind farm projects both in Europe and in the U.S.,” said Hakan Ozmen, EVP Projects BU, Prysmian Group.

The first vessel will be an evolution of the Monna Lisa class, with a length of about 185 m and a breadth of about 34 m. Its advanced cable installation solutions will include three carousels with total capacity of 19,000 metric tons, among the highest cable-loading capacity vessels in the market. A bollard pull in excess of 180 metric tons will allow the vessel to perform complex installation operations of simultaneous cable lay and burial (up to four cables) with a variety of ploughs. It will have state-of-the-art DP3 positioning and seakeeping systems and will be operational by the beginning of 2027. It will be built by the VARD Group (a subsidiary of the Fincantieri Group), one of the world leaders in the design and construction of specialized vessels for the offshore market.

The other vessel will be the evolution of the Ulisse class, with a length of about 167 m and width of about 40 m. It will have two carousels—one split in two concentric sections—for a total cable loading capacity of 10,000 m tons. The ship will have DP2 positioning and seakeeping systems and an eight-point mooring system will enable the ship to work in shallow-water cable laying and burial installation, even in harsh environmental conditions. The vessel will be operational by the first half of 2025.

Both vessels will have outstanding green credentials: they will be equipped with high-voltage shore connection systems to power them with clean energy during loading operations, diesel generators suitable for biodiesel blends and battery hybrid systems only for the deep-water-vessel, due to its specific activity.