Nexans and Crowley Wind Services Partner to Develop Jones Act Compliant Cable Lay Barge

French subsea power cable maker and services provider Nexans has announced a partnership with Crowley Wind Services to develop and operate a Jones Act compliant cable lay barge. The collaboration aims to support the installation of subsea transmission lines crucial for offshore wind energy, telecommunications, and other major industrial applications.

The 300-foot U.S.-flagged vessel, constructed in Louisiana and tested in the U.S. Gulf to Nexans specifications, will be crewed by American mariners under Crowley’s operation. This dedicated cable lay barge will play a vital role in laying and burying the subsea cables required to deliver energy from offshore to the onshore grid.

Equipped with vertical injectors, a dynamic positioning system, and a multiple-anchors positioning system, the barge ensures accurate and efficient cable placement even in challenging conditions. It features a 3,500-ton capacity carousel for laying and burying subsea cable using burial tools like a vertical injector, a jet sled, or a jetting ROV. There is potential for an upgrade to 7,000 tons with two carousels for bundle cable lay and burial.

The cable lay barge is poised to support Equinor’s Empire Wind offshore wind farm for New York and can be configured to lay or repair cable for various subsea applications. Pascal Radue, executive vice president of Nexans’ PWR-Transmission Business Group, expressed the importance of the partnership, stating, “This barge will support our existing fleet of cable laying vessels and we are pleased to be working with Crowley on developing the capability to lay nearshore subsea cable in the U.S.”

Graham Tyson, vice president of operations at Crowley Wind Services, highlighted the vessel’s role in providing a productive supply chain solution for offshore energy, telecommunications, and other sectors. He mentioned, “Coupled with our U.S. maritime fleet and mariners providing feedering services and other logistics and project management capabilities, we could not be better equipped to serve the needs of industries seeking subsea cable solutions.”

The operation of the barge by a crew of U.S. mariners aligns with maritime investment and employment goals. Willie Barrere, American Maritime Officers National President, expressed pride in being the leading source for United States Coast Guard licensed officers in the wind farm space, emphasizing the partnership’s contribution to providing clean, affordable, and sustainable energy to millions of Americans and opening doors to future offshore projects.