Jan De Nul Building New Vessel to Protect Critical Underwater Infrastructure

Luxembourg-based civil engineering company Jan De Nul has announced it is building a new vessel designed for the protection of important underwater infrastructure.

According to Jan De Nul, there is growing global demand for the protection of subsea energy and data infrastructure. To meet this demand, the company is investing in a new vessel, specially designed to protect cables laid on the seabed as well as wind turbine foundations: the George W. Goethals.

Thousands of kilometres of cables lie on the ocean floor, transporting electricity between countries and continents, connecting offshore wind farms to the mainland and carrying most international data traffic. However, these cables are vulnerable to damage and are potential targets for sabotage due to their strategic importance, noted Jan De Nul. With a new rock installation vessel, the company is strengthening its ability to protect this critical infrastructure.

The new vessel, named George W. Goethals, will primarily work on energy-related projects in the North Sea and Southeast Asia, where several projects are currently under development.

The vessel specialises in installing rock around wind turbine foundations and submarine cables. It has a capacity of 37,000 tonnes and will be equipped with a vertical and lateral drop pipe, capable of installing large blocks of rock up to 400 metres deep.

Philippe Hutse, Director of Offshore Energy at Jan De Nul, said: "This state-of-the-art vessel represents a significant investment and a well-considered decision. We are contributing to the establishment of reliable energy systems worldwide. Protecting offshore energy infrastructure is essential to ensure the reliability of the energy system. With this new vessel, we are shifting gears to meet this challenge."

The George W. Goethals is the third rock installation vessel in Jan De Nul's fleet capable of transporting more than 30,000 tonnes. The vessel was developed entirely in-house and reportedly reflects the company's vast experience in protecting offshore infrastructure.

Philippe Hutse noted: "We have acquired decades of practical experience and expertise in rock installation. We have incorporated all this knowledge into the design of this new vessel. This increases the total loading capacity of our fleet of rock installation vessels to over 100,000 tonnes. This investment will strengthen our leading position in the sector."

In addition to the George W. Goethals, Jan De Nul is also building two extra-large cable-laying vessels: the Fleeming Jenkin and the William Thomson. Each vessel will be able to carry up to 28,000 tonnes of cable, which the company said more than any other vessel currently on the market. They are designed to install cables over longer distances while reducing the number of subsea connections. This configuration makes them particularly suitable for interconnection cables that connect power grids globally. These cables enable electricity to flow quickly from surplus areas to high-demand regions, thus enhancing the reliability of renewable energy, according to Jan De Nul.

George Washington Goethals (1858-1921), the son of Belgian immigrants, was an American military officer and civil engineer best known for overseeing the construction and opening of the Panama Canal. From 2009 to 2016, Jan De Nul took part in the construction of the third set of lock complexes in the Panama Canal.