General – Partnership
Nexans announced an innovative partnership with Crowley Wind Services to develop and operate a Jones Act-compliant cable lay barge.
Dedicated to supporting the installation of subsea transmission lines necessary for offshore wind energy, telecommunications and other major industrial applications, this collaboration underscores both companies’ commitment to providing solutions for the expansion of U.S. energy sources and other industrial uses that require underwater cabling.
The 300-foot, U.S.-flagged barge, built in Louisiana and tested in the U.S. Gulf to Nexans specifications, will be crewed by American mariners under Crowley’s operation. The vessel will play a critical role in laying and burying the subsea cables needed to deliver energy from offshore to the onshore grid. The barge is the first to have vertical injectors, a dynamic positioning system, and a multiple-anchors positioning system, which enable accurate and efficient cable placement even in challenging conditions.
The barge boasts a 3,500-ton capacity carousel for laying and burying subsea cables using burial tools such as a vertical injector, a jet sled, or a jetting ROV, with the potential to be upgraded to 7,000 tons with two carousels for bundle cable lay and burial. The barge is positioned to support Equinor’s Empire Wind offshore wind farm for New York and can be configured to lay or repair cable for a multitude of other subsea applications.
The vessel will be operated by a crew of U.S. mariners, supporting maritime investment and employment goals.
