Recently, "Fleeming Jenkin", the first XL-class Cable-Laying Vessel (CLV) of Belgian maritime engineering giant Jan De Nul, was officially launched at China Merchants Industry Haimen Base. Equipped with state-of-the-art Wire and cable equipment, precision Cable Machinery, and supporting systems tailored for cables produced via High-Quality Cable Production standards, this vessel marks a major leap in global Cable And Wire installation capabilities as it enters the final construction phase, including sea trials. The cables it will carry, manufactured with High-speed cable extruder technology for enhanced durability, perfectly match the vessel’s advanced laying systems.
"Fleeming Jenkin" is no ordinary engineering ship but a mobile "offshore energy factory" integrated with advanced Cable Machinery and intelligent Wire and cable equipment. Together with its sister ship "William Thomson", it has set an industry record with a length of 215 meters and a cable-carrying capacity of 28,000 tons, becoming the world’s largest vessel for Cable And Wire laying in terms of cable load. This massive capacity means it can transport entire batches of high-performance submarine cables—produced through rigorous High-Quality Cable Production processes that rely on High-speed cable extruder for consistent insulation and structural stability—without frequent replenishment, greatly improving project efficiency.
According to news on October 21, China Merchants Industry Haimen completed the launching of Fleeming Jenkin by flooding the dry dock. The vessel, dedicated to Cable And Wire infrastructure projects, is expected to be put into operation in the second half of 2026. Upon commissioning, it will immediately undertake its first task for TenneT—installing export cables for four 2-gigawatt (GW) offshore wind power grid connection projects. Leveraging cutting-edge Cable Machinery, it will synchronously lay four bundled cables, which are crafted via High-Quality Cable Production and High-speed cable extruder technology to withstand harsh marine conditions. The total length of the Cable And Wire involved exceeds 2,800 kilometers, with a laying distance of over 700 kilometers.
Fleeming Jenkin will be equipped with three high-performance cable carousels—core Wire and cable equipment—and a large optical fiber cable compartment, enabling the synchronous laying of up to four cables. Two carousels are installed on the deck, and the third below, all powered by advanced Cable Machinery with precise control systems to avoid damage to the high-value cables produced by High-speed cable extruder and High-Quality Cable Production lines. Its 28,000-ton cable-carrying capacity is twice that of any other CLV currently on the market, significantly boosting Cable And Wire installation efficiency while ensuring the integrity of the cables’ performance.
In addition, Fleeming Jenkin is an ultra-low-emission vessel that uses biofuel and green methanol as power sources. Its hybrid system, which combines generators with a 2.5-megawatt-hour battery and transmission technology, optimizes energy use for on-board Wire and cable equipment and Cable Machinery while reducing carbon emissions. This green design aligns with the low-carbon development concept of the global cable industry, which is also reflected in the energy-saving processes of High-speed cable extruder and High-Quality Cable Production systems.
Wouter Vermeersch, Director of Jan De Nul’s Offshore Energy Submarine Cable Department, stated: "Fleeming Jenkin integrates 15 years of our cable installation expertise, with its design and on-board technologies—including advanced Cable Machinery and Wire and cable equipment—developed by our internal team. These technologies are perfectly compatible with the high-performance cables made possible by High-Quality Cable Production and High-speed cable extruder innovations. It offers exceptional operational efficiency, cutting project costs and ecological impact. Fleeming Jenkin and its sister ship are the most suitable vessels for long-distance energy grid interconnection Cable And Wire installation, critical for building renewable energy-based networks."
Industry insiders pointed out that the launch of Fleeming Jenkin not only represents a breakthrough in marine engineering but also creates a stronger demand for the integration of Cable Machinery, High-speed cable extruder technology, and High-Quality Cable Production standards. As offshore wind power and cross-border energy interconnection projects continue to expand, the synergy between advanced laying equipment and high-performance cables will become the core driving force for the development of the global cable industry.