Norway’s Kongsberg Maritime has been appointed to deliver an integrated technology package for what is said to be South Korea’s first specialised HVDC installation vessel, being built in Türkiye.
South Korean subsea cable installation company LS Marine Solution signed a contract with Türkiye’s Tersan Shipyard for the construction of the ultra-large cable laying vessel (CLV) at the end of June 2025, representing an investment of approximately EUR 221 million.
The vessel, designed by Norwegian Salt Ship Design, will be 148.4 metres long and 31 metres wide, and will have a load capacity of 13,000 tonnes and a total displacement of 18,800 tonnes.
Capable of simultaneously laying HVDC submarine cables and fibre optic cables, the CLV will be one of the world’s top five in terms of cable loading capacity and the largest in Asia, as well as Korea’s only specialised HVDC installation vessel, according to LS Marine Solution.
Kongsberg Maritime will deliver K-Pos dynamic positioning systems, integrated control and navigation systems, a battery hybrid DC electrical system, as well as all main propulsion and thruster units for the vessel.
The design also supports mobilisation of the company’s remote cable pull-in systems for floating wind farms, enabling pull-in and hang-off operations of dynamic cables without personnel transfer or crane-based equipment handling, the Norwegian firm said.
“Working closely with the owner, designer, and shipyard, we have focused on reducing CAPEX, OPEX, space, weight, and emissions, while ensuring the vessels’ operability and efficiency,” said Leszek Kopec , Senior Sales Manager at Kongsberg Maritime.
“This project reflects Kongsberg Maritime’s consistent commitment to applying our in-house domain knowledge of cable lay operations to optimize marine systems and mission system integration. It represents our fifth fully integrated system award for cable lay vessels within the past year.”
The vessel is expected to be built in approximately three years, with the start of operations planned in 2028.
When announcing the investment, LS Marine Solution said the vessel was being built to strengthen its technological capabilities in response to the West Coast HVDC Energy Highway, for which the new CLV is the only alternative among domestic vessels capable of long-distance, continuous cable laying.