South Korea’s LS Cable announced that it has signed a framework contract with the U.K.’s National Grid for the future supply of HVDC (High Voltage Direct Current) cables, a massive project that will require multiple cable suppliers.

A press release explained that the framework contract was established to pre-select key suppliers before the commencement of individual projects and to create a long-term partnership. In addition to LS Cable, six other companies from Europe and Japan are involved. Specific contracts for other projects will be signed in the future.

The National Grid, which is responsible for managing Britain’s electricity network, has ambitious plans for large-scale transmission infrastructure in mainland Britain and the North Sea region. Over the next eight years, it plans to undertake cable supply and installation for 15 projects, allocating a budget of approximately £21.3 billion.

Through this contract, LS Cable will participate in upcoming projects, supplying and installing offshore and underground HVDC cables, as well as carrying out connection works. “Only six companies, including LS Cable, have experience supplying HVDC cables worldwide, making us the sole provider in South Korea,” said an official from LS Cable. “The current supply is insufficient to meet demand, prompting companies in various countries to proactively secure supply volumes.”

In other news, LS Cable announced that it and LS Marine Solutions have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with British marine engineering company Balmoral Comtec for collaboration on the floating offshore wind power project.

A press release said that Balmoral Comtec, a leading energy company, provides cable protection systems, buoyancy solutions, and submarine infrastructure for the offshore wind power and marine energy industries. LS Cable & System is the first in Korea to develop a dynamic cable for floating offshore wind power that operates stably even in harsh marine environments. “Under this partnership, we aim to collaborate with Balmoral Comtec to build a safe operation system for floating offshore wind power cables, optimized for extreme marine conditions.”

LS Marine Solutions Co. will support this collaboration by enhancing the installation and operational efficiency of the cables and ensuring stable maintenance.

Hellenic Cables, the cables segment of Cenergy Holdings, has signed a framework agreement with National Grid, that secures its position as one of the appointed contractors eligible to participate in future HVDC cable projects across the U.K. and Europe.

A press release said that the agreement will enable it—and Jan De Nul, a global offshore installation contractor it has formed a consortium with—to participate in upcoming tenders for call-off projects for the design, manufacturing, supply, installation, testing, and commissioning of HVDC cable systems as part of National Grid’s large-scale offshore and onshore transmission infrastructure investment program. This framework agreement, which has an initial term of five years with an option for extension of up to three additional years, is a key component of National Grid’s strategy to secure long-term partnerships that support deliverability for critical projects in the U.K.

The U.K. Government’s commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2050 has placed significant emphasis on expanding the country’s electricity infrastructure to integrate renewable energy sources, such as offshore wind. National Grid’s cable framework aims to support this transition, ensuring a robust and reliable energy network. This framework will play a crucial role in enhancing grid resilience, facilitating renewable energy integration, and ensuring energy security for the future.

The consortium will participate in potential future tenders for turnkey projects. Hellenic Cables is undergoing a strategic investment program to expand production capacity and enhance technological capabilities for its plants in facilities in Corinth and Thiva. 

Jan De Nul has invested in two cable-laying vessels that will make it possible for the consortium to meet the expected future needs stemming from the development of HVDC interconnector projects.

“This agreement strengthens our commitment to supporting the UK’s energy transition and offshore wind ambitions,” said Hellenic Cables General Manager Kostas Savvakis. “We are proud to be part of this critical framework, providing world-class HVDC cable solutions.”

Hexatronic reports that the company will start manufacturing its fiber-optic cables in the U.S., with plans calling for production lines to be commissioned at its plant in Clinton, South Carolina.

A press release said that the company will also commit to additional staff and training at the Clinton facility. The new production lines are expected to be commissioned in the second quarter of 2026. “This is an important signal to our U.S. customers,” said Martin Åberg, acting CEO of Hexatronic. “We see an increasing interest in Hexatronic’s solutions ... (and we) are setting up production to consolidate our position as a local producer more clearly. We expect this to further strengthen our position in fiber solutions for the U.S. market.”

Hexatronic, which employs approximately 1,900 people globally across some three dozen operational entities, entered the U.S. market in via its 2022/2023 $55 million acquisition of Rochester Cable from TE Connectivity Corporation. In 2023 it inaugurated the Clinton plant, and in South Carolina, during the first quarter of 2023, marking a significant step forward in its U.S. operations. It made high-density polyethylene (HDPE) conduit materials, and soon, the scope will include optical fiber cable there.

“Production in the U.S. has become increasingly important and something many customers are asking for,” said Brian Riley, CEO of Hexatronic US. “This investment represents that last strategic move for Hexatronic to be able to offer a full suite of U.S.- made ‘Build American – Buy American’ (BABA) certified products to customers.”

Plans for a new submarine cable plant announced by Egypt’s Elsewedy Electric represents not just a Middle East first for the cable manufacturer, it represents the initial investment in ambitious plans to make West Damietta Industrial City—located on the north coast of the Mediterranean Sea—“a regional industrial powerhouse.”

Per reports in multiple publications, including Daily News Egypt, The Middle East Observer and Arab Finance, Elsewedy Electric plans to invest $500 million in the proposed submarine cable plant. It will be the first such plant in the Middle East, and only the sixth such one in the world.

Among those at the signing ceremony with port and government officials were Mohamed El-Qamash, CEO of Infrastructure Investments at Elsewedy Electric, Ahmed Elsewedy, CEO and Managing Director of Elsewedy Electric, and Amr El-Sawaf, General Manager of Egytech Cables. This initiative is part of the government’s comprehensive plan, led by the Ministries of Industry and Transport, to improve infrastructure and upgrade ports, bolstering Egypt’s competitiveness.

The Elsewedy deal, described as the first major investment in the West Damietta Industrial City, will strengthen Egypt’s role as a regional hub for energy transmission and advanced industries by manufacturing submarine cables that connect continents. The design of the factory calls for it to include one of the world’s tallest submarine cable manufacturing towers, exceeding 180 meters in height. Of note, 100% of its output will be exported.

The West Damietta Industrial Zone is part of New Damietta, which was established in 1980 and hosts the industrial zone adjacent to Damietta Port, a strategic location for trade and logistics. The factory itself will span 500,000 sq m within a larger 6 million-sq-m integrated industrial and logistics zone. The West Damietta Industrial Zone is approximately 15 km west of Damietta City, near the New Damietta Port.

Beyond the cable plant, Elsewedy Electric, through its subsidiary ElSewedy Industrial Development, is leading the planning and infrastructure development of the entire zone. Mohamed El-Qamash, CEO of ElSewedy Industrial Development, described the project as a groundbreaking model for industrial zone development.

SubCom has been awarded the design, manufacture, and installation of the MANTA system, a new subsea telecom cable system that will connect Mexico and the U.S. with Central and Latin America.

A press release said that Sparkle, Gold Data and Liberty Networks are the partners behind MANTA, which plans to improve traffic flow in the region by providing high bandwidth, low-latency routes interconnecting major data hubs in Mexico City, Queretaro, Bogota, and Panama City with the U.S. using new landing access points in Veracruz, Mexico, and San Blas, Florida.

SubCom will manufacture the fiber optic cable and other optical components for the MANTA system at its campus in Newington, New Hampshire, using open cable specifications that support up to 22 Tb/s per fiber pair (FP). All three consortium partners will access the northern portion of MANTA, connecting the U.S. to Mexico, and Sparkle will join Liberty Networks on the southern portion, accessing Panama and Colombia. MANTA, which will be approximately 5,400 km in length, consists of an up to 18 FP repeatered trunk segment.

“SubCom is honored to supply and deploy MANTA, which will provide a new reliable and resilient data route to a region that is seeing consistent demand for improved connectivity,” said SubCom CEO David Coughlan. “We look forward to delivering on the vision of the partners and making MANTA a reality.”