Nexans Electra

Nexans Electra is a third-generation cable-laying vessel ordered by Nexans, with hull construction at the Crist shipyard in Poland and final outfitting and completion at Ulstein Verft in Ulsteinvik, Norway. Key construction milestones include steel cutting in early 2024, keel laying in April 2024, block and hull ceremonies through late 2024, the hull’s arrival in Ulsteinvik for outfitting in mid‑2025, and hull launch in November 2025, ahead of delivery scheduled for 2026. The vessel will be owned and operated by Nexans Marine Operations. Technically, Nexans Electra is based on Skipsteknisk’s ST‑297 CLV design and is an evolution of the earlier Nexans Aurora. It is a DP3 cable-laying vessel equipped with three turntables providing a total cable capacity of 13,500 tonnes, including a 10,000‑tonne split deck turntable, a 3,500‑tonne under‑deck turntable, and a 450‑tonne fibre‑optic basket, and is capable of laying up to four cables simultaneously. Its power and propulsion arrangement includes Brunvoll azimuth and tunnel thrusters, an ABB-supplied electrical and energy storage package, a hybrid power system, shore power capability, and compatibility with biodiesel blends, all aimed at reducing its environmental footprint. The vessel is intended for global subsea power projects, including offshore wind farms, grid interconnectors and deep‑water subsea cable installations. It is positioned to extend Nexans’ turnkey offering in subsea power transmission, working in conjunction with the company’s expanded high-voltage subsea cable production capacity at Halden in Norway. Once in service, Nexans Electra is expected to support electrification and energy transition projects by installing high‑voltage AC and DC submarine cables and performing repair and maintenance work on existing links.