Energy and telecom cable systems company Prysmian Group announced it has taken delivery of the "unique" and "record-breaking" battery-hybrid cable laying vessel Leonardo da Vinci.
“Leonardo da Vinci is the most efficient cable layer in the world and from now onwards it will support the group’s long-term growth in the submarine cable installation business. It will be a game changer in strengthening our leadership in the interconnection and offshore wind farm markets,” stated Valerio Battista, CEO, Prysmian Group.
The first mission assigned to the new vessel is the installation of the the world’s longest power interconnection, the Viking Link submarine cable connection between the U.K. and Denmark. The vessel has just arrived at Prysmian’s Arco Felice submarine cables production plant to load the cable to be installed.
Later in the year, Leonardo da Vinci will be fully dedicated to the execution of other important projects such as the submarine power interconnection between the Spanish islands Lanzarote and Fuerteventura and the Saint Nazaire offshore wind farm in France. An official launching ceremony will be held for the vessel by the second quarter of 2022.
Built by Fincantieri subsidiary the Vard Group in Vard Tulcea, Romania and Brattvåg, Norway, with a length of approximately 170 meters and a breadth of about 34 meters, Leonardo da Vinci boasts deep water installation capabilities for depths of more than 3,000 meters. The ship features a new generation cable technology armored with lighter materials; maximum speed slight above 16 knots; two carousels of 7,000 and 10,000 tonnes, which ensure the highest carousel capacity in the market, two independent laying lines; bollard pull in excess of 180 tonnes. In addition, the vessel is equipped with a DP3 positioning and seakeeping systems. All cable handling and installation equipment has been designed by Prysmian.
The high cable load capacity and navigation speed of Leonardo da Vinci also allow the number of cable installation campaigns of any project to be significantly reduced, Prysmian said, adding that the lower number of transits and the reduced transit time needed thus enable an overall decrease in CO2 emissions and a reduction in fuel consumption of approximately 40% compared to a traditional cable-laying vessel.
Improved sustainable performance and reduced environmental footprint can also be achieved: over 80% of the ship's lighting fittings consists of low consumption LEDs, which means a cut of the emissions produced by the generators. In addition, it is powered by efficient engines that shrink by 85% the emissions of NOx.
The ship is the first to be equipped with the retractable thrusters of the Wärtsilä WST-24R capable of ensuring maximum stability during cable-laying operations and minimizing the use of space on board.