NKT Eleonora: New cable laying vessel able to run on methanol

NKT has named its second cable laying vessel NKT Eleonora. The ship is among the world’s first cable laying vessels designed to run on methanol.

Photo credit: NKT

By NKT | [email protected]

3 June 2024

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The high-voltage power cable market has grown significantly in recent years and the outlook remains positive driven by the transition to renewable energy and electrification of societies. Transmission lines are becoming larger, longer and with an increasing focus on lower power losses which is setting new standards for cable production and installation.

In May 2023, on the back of a record order backlog and the strong market outlook, NKT announced investments in a new high-voltage factory on the existing site in Karlskrona and a new market-leading vessel. The design of the vessel has now been done by Salt Ship Design and the construction is underway in collaboration with the Norwegian shipyard VARD.

“We are very pleased to welcome NKT Eleonora to our fleet. She is an important strategic asset which enhances our installation capacity and capabilities to ensure efficient project execution and meet the evolving demands of our clients. The decision to build a vessel designed to run on methanol is driven by our strong commitment to sustainability and connecting a greener world through our power cable solutions,” says Darren Fennell, Executive Vice President and Head of HV Solutions Karlskrona in NKT.

Building upon the operational experience and cutting-edge technology featured on NKT Victoria, the NKT Eleonora will represent the next generation in terms of design and capabilities. Equipped with three turntables, she will offer a power cable-laying capacity of 23,000 tonnes and host a large range of subsea tooling for precise installation and service of offshore cables.

The vessel will be constructed in parallel with NKT expanding its site in Karlskrona with a new high-voltage offshore cable factory. Both assets are expected operational from 2027.

NKT Eleonora

NKT Eleonora will be one of the world’s first cable-laying vessels designed to be able to run on methanol and represents the next generation of cable-laying vessels in in terms of both design and capabilities.

Learn more about NKT Eleonora