Steerprop to deliver propulsion system for world’s largest cable-laying vessel

Artist’s impression of the Fleeming Jenkin (Photo: Steerprop)

Steerprop, a Finnish company which specialises in development of power systems for a broad range of ships, has been selected to deliver the propulsion system for what is billed as the world’s largest cable-laying vessel.

The Fleeming Jenkin is now under construction at China Merchants Heavy Industry (CMHI). It is set to be delivered to owners Jan De Nul Group in 2026.

Main propulsion for the new ship will use four azimuth thrusters. In addition, it will further feature three tunnel and two retractable thrusters for improved manoeuvrability. An additional full main thruster and an ‘extensive’ spares package will also be supplied.

According to Juho Rekola, director of Sales and Project Management, the selection of Steerprop reflects confidence in the company’s tech and design competence.

“This is a milestone project for us, and not just because of the technology; we showed that we were able to adapt to various end-customer requirements and be flexible in terms of CMHI’s needs in order to ensure that the building and commissioning phases occur seamlessly,” he said.

Jan Van de Velde, director of Newbuilds at Jan De Nul, said: “Fleeming Jenkin bundles all the cable installation expertise we’ve gained over the past decade. This vessel and the technologies on board are designed by our in-house specialists. We are happy to add to that the expertise of Steerprop in delivering a comprehensive propulsion system for our cable-laying vessel under construction, resulting in high-manoeuvrable and performant vessels for challenging offshore conditions.”

Rekola added that ship owners should not have to compromise by selecting a power solution directly from a catalogue. Instead, they should expect suppliers to analyse the anticipated challenges and develop a suitable power delivery system.

Steerprop is reported to have delivered power systems for ‘hundreds of vessels’. The company puts forward that one-third of all icebreakers now in operation feature Steerprop solutions.

In addition to the Fleeming Jenkin, Jan de Nul is also building a second identical cable vessel. This will feature three cable carousels with a maximum capacity of 28,000 tonnes.