Colombo Dockyard secures contract to build cable laying and repair vessel for Orange Marine France

Vard 9 03 Design 3D impression 

Colombo Dockyard PLC (CDPLC), the leader of the shipbuilding industry in Sri Lanka and one of the most competitive shipyards in South Asia, secured a contract to build a cable laying and repair vessel (vessel) to Orange Marine France. 

Orange Marine is a French company specialising in the field of submarine telecommunications, from the initial design, engineering, to installation of intercontinental and regional links, and maintenance of existing cables. The Orange Marine’s fleet is one of the most experienced in the world and represents 15% of the world fleet.

The contract signing was held recently and Orange Marine CEO Didier Dillard signed the contract in the presence of Fleet and Crew Department Head Emmanuel Décugis and MD/CEO D.V. Abeysinghe signed the contract on behalf of the CDPLC in the presence of Chairman Hideaki Tanaka, Director K. Kanaya, Alternate Director S. Asai and the Senior Management team of Colombo Dockyard.

At this historic moment, it is worthy of acknowledging the support and assistance extended by the President of Sri Lanka, the Ambassador of France to Sri Lanka, State Minister of Warehouse Facilities, Container Yards, Port Supply Facilities, and Boats and Shipping Industry Development, Sri Lankan Foreign Ministry, Sri Lankan Embassy in France, Export Development Board, Board of Investment, enabling a team from Colombo Dockyard to travel to France to negotiate and finalise the contractual documents under special approval, giving priority to continuation of economic activities without hindrance during these pandemic times. 

The proposed vessel is a modern, high technology vessel which is specially designed and equipped for sub-sea cable lay and repair operation duties with a high focus on good sea keeping qualities, excellent station keeping performance and low fuel consumption. 

The vessel has been designed by Vard Design AS of Norway and an optimised hull form and bow shape developed by Vard has been incorporated in the design, enabling the vessel to achieve high speeds and minimise its carbon footprints, to be a highly eco-friendly vessel.

The vessel’s primary activities shall be to carry out cable operations, including laying, repair and ROV inspection. The vessel is able to mobilise power cable lay spread to perform subsea inter array cable laying. The vessel is 100m in length with a beam of 18.8m and a Depth of 7.15m and shall have a deadweight capacity of 1800 DWT. The vessel can achieve an impressive speed of 14.5 knots and has accommodation facilities for 76 persons. The vessel has three cable tanks to carry fiber optic and power cables. One of the three tanks is fitted with a carousel.  

The vessel shall be fitted out with a diesel-electric propulsion plant. The power plant shall consist of four generator sets for electrical propulsion power. The vessels propulsion shall be by two main azimuth propellers in the aft and two tunnel thrusters in the forward and the system will be run and monitored by Integrated Automation System and Power Management System.

This vessel shall be built to Bureau Veritas classification society standards and shall meet the regulatory requirements of the French Flag Authority. The vessel is scheduled to be delivered in the early 2023.

The innovative eco-friendly design, quality of workmanship, the CDPLC’s proven capability and previous experience gave Colombo Dockyard the competitive edge over international competition to secure this project.

In the year 2019, CDPLC successfully built and delivered a 113m Cable Laying Vessel to Japan and with this new contract, CDPLC is carving out a name for itself as a reputed, reliable and trustworthy shipbuilder for cable laying and repair vessel in the world.  This is the second successive entry by Colombo Dockyard in to the prestigious European market in the recent times and is well set to establish Colombo as a preferred Shipbuilding destination for European Ship Owners. 

As the leader of shipbuilding industry in Sri Lanka, CDPLC continuously proves its excellence through successful securing and execution of shipbuilding projects worldwide and is the front runner of Sri Lankan industrialisation. CDPLC operates in joint collaboration with Onomichi Dockyard Company Ltd. of Japan who owns a stake of 51% at Colombo Dockyard PLC. CDPLC also has a 35% shareholding by the Sri Lankan Government institutions. 

“an Odyssey of excellence continues…”