Jan De Nul successfully connects TenneT’s electricity network in The Netherlands and continues to invest in its offshore installation fleet in support of its energy business

Wouter Vermeersch, Manager Offshore Cables at Jan De Nul Group: “The Hollandse Kust (noord) and (west Alpha) project showcases our expertise in cable installation works. Jan De Nul has a very modern cable installation fleet, with three large cable installation vessels, supporting trenchers and amphibious cranes. Our investment in an additional Offshore Support Vessel, that in legacy of her history and track record will be renamed as Symphony, underlines Jan De Nul Group’s vision to offer the world a solution to the badly needed energy transition. With the success in the Netherlands and the investment in its offshore installation fleet, Jan De Nul validates its expertise in and resolute commitment to this energy transition."

The cable installation vessel Isaac Newton installed the cables on the seabed. In addition, Jan De Nul used several remote-controlled underwater trenchers and amphibious cranes in the surf zone to bury and protect the cable in the seabed. The Moonfish (picture) is one of these trenchers, a Jan De Nul design tailored to the needs of this project.

In the spring, the cable installation vessel Isaac Newton collected the first lot of 90 kilometres of sea cable from our consortium partner LS Cable & System in South Korea. After arriving in the Netherlands, the Isaac Newton installed four different sea cables, starting from the beach.

• Two cables were laid in one length on the seabed, all the way to the transformer station of Hollandse Kust (noord).
• For the connection to the transformer station of Hollandse Kust (west Alpha), the Isaac Newton installed the first 8 kilometres of both sea cables, starting from the beach.

Next, the trencher Moonfish set to work, burying and protecting the sea cables in the seabed.

• In the first phase, the Moonfish buried the first section of the two Hollandse Kust (noord) sea cables in the seabed, from the beach up to 3 kilometres offshore, at a depth of about 6 to 8 metres. From three kilometres offshore, the submarine vehicle UTV1200 took over, laying the cable up to the transformer station. This 'offshore socket' is located 18 kilometres off the Dutch coast.
• After the summer high season, in October, Jan De Nul completed this first installation campaign by burying the two cable sections for Hollandse Kust (west Alpha) from the beach up to 3 kilometres offshore.

Caption picture below: The cables marked in green have been successfully installed, buried and tested. The cables marked in black will be installed in the spring of 2023. The red line indicates the 3 km boundary to where the Moonfish has buried the cable sections.

Built in 2011, the Symphony has an extensive 1,400 m² deck space and is amongst others equipped with two 150 HP work class ROV systems and a 150 tons AHC crane. Thanks to the design of the vessel, the Symphony can operate in higher seastates.

The Symphony will predominantly be used to support our cable installation activities and will operate as a dedicated Trenching Support Vessel. Our recently delivered state-of-the-art newbuilt trencher Swordfish will be installed on board of the Symphony by the first quarter of 2023.

Thanks to this and other investments throughout the past years, Jan De Nul Group operates today a very modern and balanced offshore fleet, comprising this offshore support vessel, two offshore jack-up installation vessels, three floating crane installation vessels, three cable-lay vessels, five rock installation vessels and two multipurpose vessels.