Italian subsea cables specialist Prysmian has selected Vard, a Fincantieri shipbuilding company, for the design and construction of its new cable laying vessel.

The contract value, including owner supplied special equipment, amounts to approximately € 170 million (approximately NOK 1.6 billion).

The specialized vessel for advanced subsea operations, is intended to be the most capable cable layer in its market, featuring deep water installation capabilities for depths of more than 2,000 meters and high cable loading capacity in large cable rotating platforms.

The cable layer is developed to perform complex installation operations, supported by a variety of burial systems, including heavy duty ploughs, and seakeeping systems, coupled with a reduced environmental footprint.

With a length of 172 meters, and a beam of 34 meters, the vessel will be able to accommodate a crew of 120 persons.

The cable layer is designed by Vard Design in Ålesund, Norway. The start of construction phase is foreseen by end 2018.

The vessel is scheduled for delivery from Vard Brattvaag in Norway, in 4Q 2020. The hull will be built at Vard Tulcea in Romania. Several of the Group’s specialized subsidiaries are also involved in the project through deliveries of equipment and solutions.