China launches all-electric deep-sea cable-laying vessel

Blue Sea Navigator, a self-propelled all-electric deep-sea cable-laying vessel designed for offshore power infrastructure projects, was launched on Tuesday, according to its designer.

Developed by the Marine Design and Research Institute of China, a Shanghai-based subsidiary of China State Shipbuilding Corp, the vessel is being built by Qidong Xiangyu Shipbuilding and Offshore Engineering in Jiangsu province.

In shipbuilding, a launch marks the stage when a nearly completed vessel is moved into the water. It is one of the most important milestones in construction, indicating that the ship's major structures have been completed and most of the construction work has been finished.

Once commissioned, Blue Sea Navigator will undertake missions including the installation of high-voltage submarine cables for China's deep-sea wind farms and the laying of transoceanic submarine power cables.

According to the design institute, the vessel has the largest cable-carrying capacity, the strongest wind and wave resistance, and the most advanced deep-sea operational capability among its domestic counterparts. It is also expected to rank among the world's most advanced vessels of its kind.

Blue Sea Navigator is 139.8 meters long and 38 meters wide, with a full-load displacement of 35,000 metric tons and a maximum cable-carrying capacity of 16,000 tons.

Its cable-laying system features the latest coaxial dual cable reels with inner and outer drums. The dual-channel laying system is capable of simultaneously installing mainstream alternating-current power cables and next-generation flexible direct-current cables.

According to the designers, the vessel is highly competitive with comparable international models in terms of maximum single-voyage cable-carrying capacity, fuel consumption and operational efficiency, while achieving an internationally advanced technical standard.