France’s cable systems designer and manufacturer, Nexans, has partnered with Crowley Wind Services to develop and operate a Jones Act-compliant cable lay barge, aiming to support subsea transmission work for offshore wind and other industries across the US.
The 300-foot barge, flagged and crewed in the US, is being built in Louisiana and tested in the Gulf of America/Mexico. Designed to Nexans specifications, the unit will be operated by American mariners under Crowley management.
The barge will be equipped with a 3,500-tonne cable carousel, with the option to upgrade to 7,000 tonnes via a dual-carousel setup. It features vertical injectors, a dynamic positioning system, and a multiple-anchor positioning system, all intended to enable accurate cable installation in coastal and nearshore environments.
“This barge will support our existing fleet of cable laying vessels, the Nexans CLV Aurora, Nexans C/S Skagerrak and Nexans CLV Electra, and we are pleased to be working with Crowley on developing the capability to lay nearshore subsea cable in the U.S.,” said Pascal Radue, Executive Vice President of Nexans’ PWR-Transmission Business Group.
Initially targeted to support cable burial for Equinor’s Empire Wind project offshore New York, the vessel is being built for flexibility. It will be capable of laying or repairing cables using burial tools such as a vertical injector, a jet sled, or a jetting remotely operated vehicle (ROV), and is intended to serve telecoms and other heavy industry subsea needs beyond offshore wind.
“The cable lay barge will provide a productive supply chain solution for offshore energy, telecommunications and other sectors,” said Graham Tyson, Vice President of Operations, Crowley Wind Services.
“Coupled with our U.S. maritime fleet and mariners providing feedering services and other logistics and project management capabilities, we could not be better equipped to serve the needs of industries seeking subsea cable solutions.”
The project is also backed by maritime labor unions, with the vessel expected to contribute to the US mariner employment.
“AMO is proud to be the leading source for United States Coast Guard licensed officers in the wind farm space. Our long-lasting partnership with Crowley, and our new relationship with Nexans, will help to provide clean, affordable and sustainable energy to millions of Americans and will open the door to future offshore projects,” said American Maritime Officers National President, Willie Barrere.
“The SIU welcomes this exciting opportunity and looks forward to providing dedicated, well-trained mariners to help ensure the new vessel’s success,” said Seafarers International Union President David Heindel. “SIU members have sailed aboard cable-laying vessels for decades, so we are more than up to the task. This is a worthwhile project that will boost American shipboard manpower while reinforcing the great importance of the Jones Act, which has protected United States national, economic and homeland security for more than a century.”
In March, Nexans secured a major framework agreement, valued at above EUR 1 billion, with Réseau de Transport d’Electricité (RTE) for the design, manufacturing, and supply of high-voltage direct current (HVDC) cables for offshore wind farms in France.
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