Jan De Nul Group orders Fleeming Jenkin, an extra-large cable-laying vessel, at the CMHI Haimen shipyard. With an unrivalled cable-carrying capacity of 28,000 tonnes, the vessel will serve the renewable energy and subsea cable industry in installing cables over longer distances and in deeper waters. The vessel will be delivered in 2026.
Fleeming Jenkin will be equipped with three (3) cable carousels and a large hold for fibre optic cables, capable of laying up to four cables simultaneously. Two carousels are mounted on deck, with a third below deck. The combined cable-carrying capacity amounts to 28,000 tonnes, which is double the capacity of any other cable-laying vessel on the market.
The vessel is designed to install longer and heavier cables, into ultra-deep waters up to 3,000 metres. On the aft deck, the vessel is equipped with a chute and a cable-laying wheel. In combination with the tensioners, the chute allows installation of cables in shallow waters, while the cable-laying wheel makes installation at great depths more efficient. The tensioners enable the vessel to handle and control cable tensions up to 150 tonnes – the weight of the Statue of Liberty.
The vessel is equipped with a powerful DP2 system, enabling her to operate steadily in deep, but also in shallow waters, thanks to an additional third bow thruster.
Fleeming Jenkin will be equipped with a highly advanced dual exhaust filter system which removes up to 99% of nanoparticles from emissions using a diesel particulate filter (DPF) and a selective catalytic reduction system (SCR) for NOx removal. The ULEv system also significantly reduces exhaust gas pollutants.
Thanks to the ULEv system, the vessel complies with the strict European Stage V emission standards for inland waterway vessels. Moreover, the NOx emissions are reduced to such an extent that this vessel meets the even stricter EURO VI emission limits.
The vessel is powered by engines that can run on biofuel and green methanol, confirmed by the Methanolfuel-dualfuel notation, which significantly reduce CO2 emissions.
The hybrid power plant on board also contributes to the reduction of CO2 emissions and optimal fuel usage. It combines the generators with a 2.5 MWh battery and drive technology, designed for peak shaving, load smoothening, spinning reserve and optimized engine loading.